Prominent entrepreneur Sir David Tang, a friend of the royals and A-list celebrities, has died.

For the past few weeks, the 63-year-old founder of the Shanghai Tang fashion chain had been at the Royal Marsden Hospital, where he died on Tuesday evening.

Celebrities including Naomi Campbell, Sir Tom Jones and Russell Crowe have since paid tribute to the businessman.

Speaking to the Press Association, Ewan Venters, chief executive of Fortnum & Mason, said the "world is a little duller" after Sir David's death.

Mr Venters, 45, who had known him for a decade, said he was informed of the death by Sir David's wife, Lady Lucy Tang.

"He was one of life's unique people who had an extraordinary network of people from all walks of life. He was a very generous, kind-hearted, spirited individual," Mr Venters said.

"Personally, I think the world is a little duller for the loss of David and at such a relatively young age."

Sir David announced earlier this month that he was throwing a farewell to life party at The Dorchester in London after receiving the news he had a couple of months to live.

Mr Venters said the event was due to take place in the ballroom at the luxury Mayfair hotel on September 6, but that "sadly he didn't quite make it".

He added: "David had been unwell on and off for a period, but actually his recent illness is a relatively short (one) - this has all happened in the last four weeks.

"There was an understanding amongst his friends, and hence why he organised a memorial, that by definition he was not going to come through. It was a matter of time."

Recalling one of his favourite memories, Mr Venters said on visits to the hospital over the last month, he would take freshly made scotch eggs and a jar of piccalilli - one of Sir David's favourite Fortnum & Mason treats.

"He would be a fierce critic if the scotch eggs were in any way inferior. I always lived in fear that one day our scotch eggs wouldn't be quite up to it," he said fondly.

Politician and former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, another friend of the socialite, said he met Sir David a few years ago when they both appeared on the BBC's Newsnight together.

Mr Farage said he was a "wonderful, colourful, larger than life character", and that he received an invitation to Sir David's party a couple of weeks ago.

"He said in the invitation that he wanted us all to say goodbye and have a drink with him - he couldn't bear the thought of us all having a drink at his memorial when he wasn't there," he told the Press Association.

"He has lived an amazing life, and all lives have to come to an end, I just wish for his sake he had made another week."

Sir David was awarded a knighthood in 2008 by the Queen for his charitable services in the UK and British interests in Hong Kong, where he was born.

He first came to the Britain 50 years ago and arrived without being able to speak a word of English, Mr Venters said.

After founding his high-end fashion chain in the mid-1990s - which he later sold - in Hong Kong, Beijing and Singapore, Sir David also set up the China Clubs.

He later opened the China Tang restaurant at the Dorchester.

Sir David, who read philosophy at university and later law - and taught at Peking University in 1983 - has been described as an intellectual by those who knew him.

As the news of his death broke, Hollywood actor Russell Crowe tweeted: "RIP dear friend Sir David Tang, the privilege was mine. Witty, charming, intellectual, salacious, hilarious, loving and funny as f***."

Veteran entertainer Sir Tom Jones posted: "A most generous, exceptional & loving friend, Sir David Tang, RIP. The stories & laughs will forever echo. Our hearts go out to Lucy & family."

Presenter Stephen Fry tweeted: "We all knew it was coming, but the death of the great, outrageous, kind, brilliant, original & wholly marvellous David Tang is a rotten blow."

Posting an image of herself with Sir David on Instagram, Naomi Campbell wrote that there would never be another person like him, as she extended her condolences to his family.

The model added: "Mind, body and soul and your beyond generous spirit, bursting with this amazing infectious energy. We were all your students."

Campbell also said the loss of Sir David is "felt by the world", and that he was a man who "lived life to the fullest".

Financial Times editor Lionel Barber, for whom Sir David wrote a weekly column, said he would be "sorely missed".

In a statement, Mr Barber added: "David Tang was a remarkable man of many talents whose charm, erudition and wit were ever-present."

Charles Saumarez Smith, chief executive of the Royal Academy of Arts, said they are "deeply saddened" by his death, and that Sir David was one of their supporters for more than 20 years.

In an FT interview in 2010, when asked how he would like to be remembered, Sir David said: "I've always liked the Hilaire Belloc quote, 'When I am dead, I hope it may be said: His sins were scarlet, but his books were read'."

Sir Mick Jagger posted on Twitter: "So sad to hear about David Tang. He was so generous and so much fun we will all miss him."