Lady Gabriella Windsor's husband Thomas Kingston died from a “traumatic head wound” and a gun was found near his body in an outbuilding at his parents' Cotswolds home, an inquest has heard.
Thomas Kingston, 45, was found dead at his family's country home on Sunday evening and a post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death was a single gunshot, Gloucestershire Coroner's Court said today.
Police and paramedics were called to the scene after a family member called 999. Police said Mr Kingston's death was not suspicious.
His widow, Lady Windsor, had paid tribute to her wealthy husband in a joint statement with his family, describing him as an “extraordinary man who brightened the lives of all who knew him”.
They described his death as a “big shock for the whole family”.
Thomas Kingston, the husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor, shot himself, an inquest heard
The couple is pictured here at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in July 2019
Mr Kingston watched the race with Queen Camilla from the Royal Box at Ascot last June
Buckingham Palace announced that Mr Kingston, 45, died suddenly on February 25 at an address in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire.
Paramedics were called to the large single-family home around 6 p.m. on Sunday.
The king and queen sent their “deepest thoughts and prayers” to Lady Gabriella, known as Ella, and Mr Kingston's parents and siblings.
A statement released on behalf of Lady Gabriella Kingston, Mr Martin and Ms Jill Kingston, Ms Joanna Connolly and Ms Emma Murray said: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Thomas Kingston, our beloved husband, son and brother.”
“Tom was an extraordinary man who brightened the lives of everyone who knew him.” “His death came as a great shock to the entire family and we ask that you respect our privacy as we mourn his passing.”
Lady Gabriella published a personal photo she took of her husband. It shows him smiling and dressed in a casual pink shirt, standing in the sun by a body of water.
The couple married in 2019 at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, with Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh, among their guests.
Lady Gabriella Kingston and Thomas Kingston at Nicky Haslam's birthday party at the Polish Hearth Club, London, in November 2019
Kingston, pictured here on his wedding day to Lady Gabriella Windsor, led a remarkable life
Lady Gabriella and Thomas Kingston had official photos taken on their wedding day – here with the late Queen and Prince Philip seated to their right
The death of Lady Gabriella Windsor's husband Thomas Kingston (pictured together in 2019) has been announced by Buckingham Palace
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The King and Queen have been informed of Thomas' death and join Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and all who knew him in mourning the loss of a beloved member of the family.”
“In particular, Their Majesties send their heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Gabriella and the entire Kingston family.”
Lady Gabriella is the King's second cousin. They are both great-grandchildren of King George V.
Mr Kingston was a director of Devonport Capital, which specialized in providing finance to companies in frontier economies.
The University of Bristol graduate had also worked in Baghdad, Iraq, campaigning for the release of hostages after joining the Foreign Office's diplomatic missions department.
He was a close friend of Pippa Matthews – the Princess of Wales's sister – and the pair were said to be together in 2011.
Lady Gabriella, who worked as an art and travel director for a brand company, is a writer and editor.
She is also a singer-songwriter and released two bossa nova-inspired tracks in 2020 to raise money for charity.
Although Lady Gabriella is not a working member of the royal family, she and Mr Kingston's family are supported by the royal household.
Friends of Thomas Kingston were shocked by his death as they said he and Lady Gabriella were “happily married until the end”.
They were most recently photographed together in public on Valentine's Day at an event celebrating the works of William Shakespeare.
Lady Gabriella Windsor and Tom Kingston at the Jerudong Trophy polo match at Cirencester Park Polo Club in June 2016
Kingston pictured next to Lady Gabriella Windsor at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on September 19, 2022
Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston are pictured at Royal Ascot in June last year
The couple are seen here in the Jungle Part at Annabel's in London in September 2018
Their wedding took place on May 18, 2019 in Windsor
No funeral plans have been released at this time.
Lady Gabriella's parents, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, attended a service for the late King Constantine II of Greece at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.
Constantine was Lady Gabriella's godfather and attended her wedding.
The Prince of Wales, also a godson of the former Greek monarch, canceled at the last minute, but his absence was due to a personal matter and apparently unrelated to the news of Mr Kingston's death.
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