Royal family in mourning as Lady Gabriella Kingston's husband Thomas dies suddenly aged 45
Thomas Kingston, the husband of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent’s daughter Lady Gabriella Kingston, has died suddenly, Buckingham Palace has announced.
Financier Mr Kingston, 45, was found dead at an address in Gloucestershire on Sunday evening.
Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 6pm.
An inquest will be held to establish the cause of death but there are no suspicious circumstances and no other parties involved.
The King and Queen sent their "most heartfelt thoughts and prayers" to Lady Gabriella, who is known as Ella, and Mr Kingston's parents and siblings.
A statement released on behalf of Lady Gabriella and Mr Kingston’s family, said: "It is with the deepest sorrow that we announce the death of Thomas Kingston, our beloved husband, son and brother.
“Tom was an exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him. His death has come as a great shock to the whole family and we ask you to respect our privacy as we mourn his passing.”
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “The King and The Queen have been informed of Thomas’s death and join Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and all those who knew him in grieving a much-loved member of the family. In particular, Their Majesties send their most heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Gabriella and to all the Kingston family”.
Lady Gabriella and Mr Kingston were engaged in 2018 and married at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on 18 May 2019 when guests included Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
The wedding reception was held at Frogmore House, the former residence of Prince Harry and Meghan.
The Duke of Sussex was among other guests at the wedding that included the Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, designer Nicky Haslam and the family of the Princess of Wales, her parents Carole and Michael Middleton and siblings Pippa and James, who were joined by their partners.
Mr Kingston, known as Tom, was a close friend of Pippa Matthews - the Princess of Wales's sister.He had been a director of Devonport Capital since 2017, a firm specialising in providing finance for companies in "frontier economies".
Previously Mr Kingston joined Schroder’s Asset Management in London in 2006 before joining Voltan Capital Management in 2012.The Bristol University graduate also spent time in Baghdad, Iraq, where he worked to procure the release of hostages after joining the Diplomatic Missions Unit of the Foreign Office.
Only last Wednesday, Lady Gabriella and Mr Kingston had been seen together at an event at the National Gallery in London.Lady Gabriella, who has worked as an arts and travel director for a brand company, is a writer and contributing 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 being supported by the Royal Household through this difficult time.
No funeral plans have been released so far.
Lady Gabriella's parents Prince and Princess Michael of Kent attended the service for the late King Constantine II of Greece on Tuesday in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Constantine was Lady Gabriella's godfather.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kensington Palace said Prince William, also a godchild of the former Greek monarch, pulled out of the memorial service due to a personal matter.
The matter is understood not to be connected to Mr Kingston's death.