HONG KONG • It was an emotional moment for the "Iron Lady" during the question-and-answer session.

Mrs Carrie Lam was asked about her husband of 32 years, retired professor Lam Siu Por.

"My husband has waited for me for a long time," she said, flanked by Mr Lam and their older son Jeremy.

"My husband has sacrificed so much for me. Sorry hubby, you have to continue to make more sacrifices," she said in Cantonese, holding back tears.

Her husband took over the microphone for a few seconds, saying: "I am happy to continue making sacrifices for the people of Hong Kong."

The couple have two sons, aged 23 and 25.

"As for my sons, they are grown up already. They have their own lives and careers... Maybe they can Facebook me more once I'm better at it," Mrs Lam said.

She met her husband at the University of Cambridge in 1982.

What attracted her to him?

"He is a simple person and led a simple life," she said in a radio interview last year.

Mrs Lam, 59, had originally planned to spend some time with her husband in Britain after retiring from her Chief Secretary job in July. But he told her that she would probably regret it later if she gave up the chance to serve the people of Hong Kong.

Mr Lam, a mathematician, has spent most of his time in Britain, taking care of their sons, while Mrs Lam was based in Hong Kong.

Mrs Lam said yesterday that because the couple spent so little time together, it led to rumours of her husband's infidelity.

He has denied the rumours, and Mrs Lam said she had "200 per cent" confidence in her husband.

Mr Lam once told the local media that he was already used to being labelled as "the man behind a top woman official".