A billionaire friend of Prince William died of a heart attack after swallowing a bee during a polo match, according to reports.
Sunjay Kapur, 53, was chairman of global car parts giant Sona Comstar and a regular on the elite polo circuit frequented by members of the royal family. During a polo match in Windsor, southeast England, on Thursday, witnesses initially said he was heard saying “I’ve swallowed something,” according to The Telegraph.
The newspaper said the comment prompted assumptions that Kapur had swallowed a bee, which in turn could have stung him to trigger anaphylactic shock and a heart attack. The outlet said others claimed Kapur lost consciousness during a break in play.
The British-educated businessman, who held U.S. citizenship, had an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion, according to Forbes.
“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the untimely passing of Mr Sunjay J Kapur, Chairman and Non-Executive Director of Sona Comstar, following a sudden heart attack in England, U.K., on 12th June 2025, at the age of 53,” Sona Comstar said in a statement to the London Standard.
The company also praised Kapur’s “passion, foresight, and relentless commitment to excellence.”
Kapur’s death sent shockwaves throughout both Britain’s elite polo circles and Indian high society, The Mirror reports. Kapur was a well-known figure in the scene and often played exclusive matches with aristocrats throughout the summer.
“He was full of life, laughing, joking, then gone in an instant,” an insider told the publication.
Kapur was also known for his playboy lifestyle. He was previously married to Bollywood superstar Karisma Kapoor, but their marriage ended acrimoniously in 2016 after 13 years of marriage.
Kapoor later filed a domestic violence plea against her former husband and said he once abandoned his young son when he was ill in order to play polo with the royals.
“[Sunjay] decided to carry on, leaving me behind to take care of our sick four-month-old son, just to play a polo match with Prince William,” Kapoor said in a 2016 interview, according to the Telegraph.
Following the dissolution of his marriage, Kapur later wed former model Priya Sachdev.
Industry colleagues have lamented Kapur’s death, with a former associate paying tribute to “a titan of Indian industry, taken far too soon.”
A source close to the Kapur family told The Mirror: “Sunjay was in excellent health. No one could believe what had happened. It’s a shocking reminder of how fragile life can be.”
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