WEALTHY businessman Kuldip Singh Dhillon, the son of a Warrington market trader and polo-playing pal of King Charles, has died suddenly, aged 72, in India.
Controversially nicknamed “Sooty” by the former Prince, due to his dark skin, the property developer behind Satnam, the company which until recently owned the Peel Hall site, In 2009 Dhillon said he felt no offence by the nickname despite others branding it “distasteful” and “unacceptable.”
It’s understood the wealthy property developer died while on a trip to India earlier this week.
Dhillon immigrated from India to Britain in 1955 when he was four-years-old. He lived initially in Warrington where his father owned a number of market stalls and it was in Warrington where he met his wife, Jacqueline, at a local disco. The couple started a family before moving to Gloucestershire where they have since lived.
In the early 1970s, he met the then-Camilla Parker Bowles, and the two became friends. Mrs. Parker Bowles (as she then was) and her husband Andrew Parker Bowles. In 1975, Dhillon joined Cirencester Park Polo Club, and, by his own statement, acquired the nickname of “Sooty” while playing against members of the Royal Family.
He has two daughters and two sons, the younger of whom, Satnam, in addition to helping his father run his property empire,is also a former player for the English national polo team.
Dhillon is a former chairman of the Schools and Universities Polo Association and a director and player at Cirencester Park.
Dhillon gained national attention in 2009 when it became known that his friend, the Prince of Wales, called him by the nickname “Sooty”. Charles was subsequently labelled as “out of touch” for using the nickname.
Earlier this week it was announced that Satnam developments had sold Peel Hall for circa £100m to a joint venture involving Countryside Properties and Torus Housing.
3 Comments
He has 3 daughters and 1 son
I was so sad to hear the news of Kuldips death and send my sincerest condolences. Kuldip joined my class at secondary school and sat at the desk next to me. My claim to fame over many years was that he apparently anglicised his first name to Kolin after me Colin. I remember him telling the class about his mammoth journey to the UK which had most of us mesmerised, most of us had never left these shores at that point. Sadly, I never kept in touch but have truly fond memories and once again send my heartfelt sympathies to all his family.
Colin Smith
So sorry to hear the sad news My Mother + I used to work for the family and have fond memories of them all, even looking after Satnam as a baby X