Sunjay Kapur: Prince William’s close friend dies after swallowing bee

Prince William is grieving the death of his longtime friend after the billionaire businessman died suddenly during a polo match.

Sunjay Kapur, who was the chairman of car parts company Sona Comstar, was at the match in Windsor, England when he collapsed after swallowing a bee, The Mirror reports.

It is believed the bee stung Mr Kapur in his mouth, triggering an anaphylactic shock and heart attack.

“He was full of life, laughing, joking, then gone in an instant,” one insider said.

The Telegraph reports he was on the field at Guards Polo Club when he lost consciousness during a break in play.

“He didn’t distinguish between his grooms or high net worth friends,” a friend told The Telegraph.

“When he had a party, everyone was invited and everyone was equal.”

Mr Kapur, who is Indian and British educated, had hours earlier paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the Air India crash.

“Terrible news of the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad. My thoughts and prayers are with all the families affected. May they find strength in this difficult hour,” he wrote in his final post on social media.

His company announced his passing on social media saying he was a “devoted father, a mentor to many, and a tireless advocate for India’s manufacturing and mobility sectors”.

Mr Kapur, who was well known to be friendly with the royal family and was an avid polo player, was competing in the Queen’s Cup polo tournament before his death. His net worth is estimated to be at $1.2b.

He graduated from the University of Buckingham and took over Sona Comstar in 2015 after the death of his father Surinder Kapur.

His marriage to Bollywood star Karisma Kapooor ended in acrimony. He leaves behind a son from his second marriage, to Priya Sachdev.

Prince William has not yet commented on Mr Kapur’s death.