Thomas Kingston passed away in Gloucestershire on Sunday, and the royal family only announced his passing on Tuesday, hours after the memorial service for King Constantine. Kingston’s widow, Lady Gabriella Windsor, did not attend the memorial service, but her parents did – Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Michael of Kent were seen and photographed alongside most of the Windsor clan. Buckingham Palace immediately gave a statement of grief and support from King Charles and Camilla, and Kingston’s family made a statement along with Lady Gabriella. Meanwhile, Kensington Palace rushed out a different kind of statement – that Prince William’s absence from Constantine’s memorial service had nothing to do with Kingston’s death. Bizarre doesn’t even begin to cover it. Note: Constantine was godfather to both William AND Gabriella.
All of this royal oddness has distracted from the fact that a 45-year-old man, seemingly in good health, died suddenly and no one knows how or why. I’ve written that Kingston died at home in Gloucester but now that I’m reading the Mail’s coverage, it sounds like no one is committed to saying that Kingston actually died at his own home? They’re saying he was found at a “Gloucestershire address.” Also, there will be an inquest. The Mail’s coverage jumped around like crazy, but here are the basics:
Thomas Kingston, the son-in-law of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent was found dead aged just 45 on Sunday evening at an address in Gloucestershire, with emergency services called to the scene shortly after 6pm.
Tributes have now been paid to the financier, who during his previous career with the Foreign Office was posted to Iraq before volunteering with British clergyman Canon Andrew White. He narrowly avoided a terrorist attack on St George’s, the country’s only Anglican church, in 2004.
The sudden death of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent’s ‘exceptional’ son-in-law has sent shockwaves through the Royal Family and left friends in a state of deep shock.
An inquest will be held but there are no suspicious circumstances and no other parties involved. Mr Kingston is survived by his father Martin Kingston KC, his mother Jill Mary Kingston, and his sisters, Joanna Connolly and Emma Murray.
One friend who spoke to [Gabriella & Thomas] at a party last Wednesday at the National Gallery in London said: ‘They seemed happy and positive as ever. Ella was particularly chatty.’ Another close friend, who attended the couple’s stunning wedding, added: ‘It’s utterly shocking. None of us saw it coming. I cannot understand it.’
Kingston had always discreetly flittered in and around royal circles before his marriage to Lady Windsor, with women attracted to his languid confidence. Thomas Kingston and Lady Gabriella Windsor’s subsequent marriage was a seemingly happy one, with the couple often joining each other at social events and royal gatherings. He accompanied his wife to the late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022, whom she was very close with.
Gloucestershire Constabulary said it was called by the ambulance service about the death of Mr Kingston at 6.25pm on Sunday. They added: ‘The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.’
“The death is not being treated as suspicious” – I do not understand?? How is it not suspicious?? Again, a 45 year old man in seemingly good health, a man who just last week was out and about in public, loved up with his royal-adjacent wife? No one is saying that they were even there with Kingston, at “an address in Gloucestershire” – they’re just saying that he was discovered there and emergency services were immediately called.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.
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- Lady Gabriella Windsor, daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and husband Thomas Kingston attending a Service of Thanksgiving for HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey, London, England, UK on Tuesday 29 March, 2022.,Image: 674182415, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- Camera Press Rota 04335413. Lady Gabriella and Thomas Kingston at Westminster Hall for the lying in State of The Late HM Queen Elizabeth II,Image: 722705363, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Camera Press Rota, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Mark Stewart / Avalon
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- Gabriella Windsor and Husband Thomas Kingston Celebrate Lady Rothermere`s Birthday At La Loma Featuring: Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 08 Aug 2022 Credit: Blitz Pictures/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North/South America and Australia Rights Only**
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- Gabriella Windsor and Husband Thomas Kingston Celebrate Lady Rothermere`s Birthday At La Loma Featuring: Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 08 Aug 2022 Credit: Blitz Pictures/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North/South America and Australia Rights Only**
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- File photo dated 18/05/19 of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston leaving St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, following their wedding. Thomas Kingston, the husband of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent’s daughter Lady Gabriella Kingston, has died, Buckingham Palace has announced Featuring: Thomas Kingston, Lady Gabriella Windsor Where: London, United Kingdom When: 27 Feb 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- File photo dated 18/05/19 of Thomas Kingston and Lady Gabriella Windsor on the steps of the chapel after their wedding at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. Thomas Kingston, the husband of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent’s daughter Lady Gabriella Kingston, has died, Buckingham Palace has announced Featuring: Thomas Kingston, Lady Gabriella Windsor Where: London, United Kingdom When: 27 Feb 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
It might not be suspicious. Maybe he had a heart attack or something. Or he tripped and fell and hit his head. Things happen but they certainly would be well to just be a little more forthcoming with details, like if he was at his own home or if it was a previously unknown medical condition or something.
Too many weird things are happening in Windsor and it’s natural that folks are starting to jump to different conclusions.
Yeah, I actually think this was not suspicious at all, and it was a heart attack, a brain aneurysm, DVT… I mean, there’s a whole laundry list of things that suddenly kill perfectly healthy people in their 40s and 50s.
The issue, really, is how all the f&ckery on the PR side of things makes everything *look* suspicious.
imo, when it comes to this family – kate’s disappearance, william’s… issues, this guys’ death – it’s a mix of actual nefarious stuff going down and a mix of nothingburgers that KP’s media incompetence makes appear nefarious.
Except you don’t know any of those things before an autopsy, which hasn’t happened yet (if at all). They said there’d be an inquest but I haven’t read about an autopsy.
I very much agree, there are all sorts of things that can seemingly come out of nowhere and kill you suddenly. We’ve had footballers who are supposedly at peak fitness collapse on the pitch. It happens.
I recently learned that in the UK they do thorough medical exams when a person dies even when it’s not from suspiscious circumstances. The whole “inquest” thing might be because he’s royal-adjacent.
We already know how both the media and law enforcement cover for the British royals. Thus, neither institution has any credibility with me in this matter. Maybe he had a heart attack or committed suicide. But maybe it’s something much more nefarious and a cover up is already being implemented. I used to scoff at conspiracy theories. Then I learned how the British royals are protected.
It’s suspicious that they do not identify the location of his death beyond “an address in Gloucester” , they don’t say who was present (if anyone), and there is no mention of who and how the body was discovered. There is also no mention of how long he might have been gone before discovery. Other than these very suspicious things, it’s not suspicious at all. So it won’t take long to wrap up this investigation at all.
I read he was found at his parents’ country house. Maybe the police didn’t know immediately who owned the home when they released their statement.
An inquiry would be a natural course of action if there was an unattended death. Anything could have happened to a reasonably healthy person. My husband had a massive pulmonary embolism. We just happened to be in the hospital emergency room because he “felt funny”. If we weren’t there, he would have been dead.
Oh my goodness, thankfully you were already in the ER when that happened. So scary!
Just briefly commenting that in the UK usually there’s not an inquest for heart attacks, but there’s one for suicides (look at the wording too, no foul play or third parties involved).
ETA: just saw Xeni’s comment below.
I suspected maybe Will’s absence at the funeral could have something to do with this, if he’s close to his cousin. Or even if he isn’t and was able to lend a hand because he knows all too well what it’s like to experience the shock of losing an immediate family member suddenly. It may have even triggered some PTSD for him.
Alternative theory: he’s in rehab. Though unlikely he’d be doing that in a clinic (except maybe a private one in Switzerland?), and even then, unless he JUST checked-in, I’d think he would’ve pulled out of the funeral reading before the last minute…
Or maybe he caught the norovirus or RSV-they’re going around!
I suspected maybe Will’s absence at the funeral could have something to do with this, if he’s close to his cousin. Or even if he isn’t and was able to lend a hand because he knows all too well what it’s like to experience the shock of losing an immediate family member suddenly. It may have even triggered some PTSD for him.
Alternative theory: he’s in rehab. Though unlikely he’d be doing that in a clinic (except maybe a private one in Switzerland?), and even then, unless he JUST checked-in, I’d think he would’ve pulled out of the funeral reading before the last minute…
Or maybe he caught the norovirus or RSV-they’re going around!
Condolences to the widow, family, friends and co-workers, etc. of the deceased.
The Times obituary hints strongly at suicide:
“Some speculated that Kingston had hidden embedded trauma from his searing experiences in Baghdad, but whatever the truth it seemed that there were struggles that had been concealed over the years.”
The royals haven’t learned that speculation is far less if facts are given. Speculation often leads to negative gossip where as the truth would garner more support and sympathy. At the moment my thoughts are negative, another woman, William there and both drunk as lords, wild party without wives ,suicide? Hopefully for his wife it was an aneurysm ( brain or abdominal) undetected. Suicide will haunt her.
Erm maybe it’s not suspicious because he may have chosen to exit this life as we know it by his own accord. Usually when statements are worded as they are in the article that turns out to be the case
May he RIP
That’s how I read it too. He took his own life. How devastating for her, regardless of the circumstances.
Didn’t think of that, but that’s a good point. Too much stigma around suicide to announce it, if that was in fact the case.
That was my first thought too, especially with the “friends” quote being about how happy they seemed.
“None of us can understand it.” Yeah.
I read yesterday that the Kents “bravely went to the memorial instead of staying with their daughter, whose husband committed suicide…”. Wish I had screenshot it. It was either in the Fail or the Guardian.
This. I wish people would let this go and stop speculating. Even if it’s not the case, there’s a very strong chance. I lost my husband to suicide just a couple years ago…it’s horrifying & incomprehensible and has changed me in a way that most people will never understand. I can’t imagine also dealing with the online chatter and gossip.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry Shells_Bells. My best friend and outside of my parents the only person I had left in the world who I really loved, hung herself this December. It still doesn’t make sense. It’s a sentence I tell people I don’t understand. Some things are incomprehensible.
“Not suspicious” meaning no obvious signs of injury, no defensive wounds, nothing to lead police to interpret it as caused by someone else.
Exactly. It’s “suspicious” to us nosey public, but in the eyes of law enforcement, “not suspicious” means they have no reason to believe someone killed him.
My god a young man who was healthy just drops dead but there is no need for concern? This very little info will again cause speculation. Do they not understand that? What is this Kingston flitted in and around Royal circles with women who were attracted to him before he married? Was the address in gloustershire a mistress? See how that leads to speculation. Was that necessary or a hint?
It basically means nobody else was involved in his death.
Hmm, how odd, I can think of a few things that are suspicious:
1. Her father’s decades-long business ties with the shadiest Russian oligarchs including getting a medal literally from Putin himself.
2. Lady Gabriella was sent to King Constantine’s funeral last year in Will’s absence, then one year later this happens.
3. Could not be more clear that the family agreed to keep this underwraps, at least until yesterday’s memorial was over, possibly until there was some better news from Charles or Kate so that the Windsors don’t look so actively cursed. Then someone leaked the story – was it Will, for the excuse? Or was it someone trying to implicate Will?
We lost both parents over the last few years, one expected and the other not. We didn’t rush out a notice about their deaths until 2-3 days later when we had the funeral home involved. I’m not so suspicious about the timing of Gabriella and his families announcement, nor BP response (King, extended family etc).
KP’s insertion is utterly bizarre and egotistical.
In the U.K. it is standard practice in statements of this type for the address not to be given. And the death would not be treated as suspicious if the deceased committed suicide and left a note. Very, very sad if that is the case.
Yes this smells off. And what’s with the “languid” confidence and the flitting comment? Somebody trying to convey something or just a really bad failed Romance writer turned journalist?
Yes, those words struck me, too. What is the writer trying to imply?
“languid confidence” makes absolutely no sense. You’re either one or the other. I think too it’s bad Harlequin romance writing.
It could be a thesaurus-fail attempt at relaxed confidence? Weak confidence? Or maybe drugged confidence? It’s an odd word choice.
A sudden death can just be a medical event such as a heart attack. It’s not suspicious but the police attend and an autopsy is performed to determine the cause of death. My stepfather died abruptly after a heart attack a few years ago and that was the process we went through.
A suicide would require the same process and the media often skirt around the cause and the circumstances of the death in such cases because there are strict rules about how suicide can be covered by them.
Possibly a suicide? In the UK it’s always described as non suspicious but requires autopsy and inquest.
Or possibly some recreational drug use that went awry. It happens.
Accidental fentanyl overdose was the first thing I thought of. The aristos all do recreational drugs and tainted cocaine would explain a sudden death that is not suspicious (meaning they know what caused the death).
I’m a lawyer (granted Aus not UK but our legal system is basically the same) and u came to say this – all suicides result in an inquest.
Those pictures of the couple are eerie to me. I think that they look so much like siblings, twins even. These royal adjacent circles might need an infusion of commoner dna.
They really do look alike in these photos.
It’s always suspicious when a 45 year old dies unexpectedly. Hence the inquest.
So something obviously intentional or obviously accidental. Drug overdose or suicide fits those bills, to me.
Or I suppose if there were a corroborating witness to say “we were boffing and he collapsed suddenly.” A shame in any event. Condolences.
Many people die suddenly of a massive heart attack (a widow-maker), an aneurism or stroke. Not everything is drug or suicide-related.
It wouldn’t be suspicious if he shot himself in front of witnesses maybe.
Still why have an inquest?
The role of a Coroner’s inquest is to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths so that the death can be certified and then registered. Period.
There is full online information about how the Coroner’s Inquest system works. Briefly, this was a ‘reportable death’ . An ambulance was called and the emergency would automatically be reported to the police. The police would have taken details and reported the circumstances to the Coroner. The Coroner would have authorised an inquest. Coroner’s officers will now carry out an investigation to establish the cause of death. They will interview his doctor, his widow, other relevant family and any relevant friends and associates, including anyone present in the house when he died.. There will be a Court hearing (which press can attend) and the Coroner will give a verdict on the cause of death.
I suspect William was notified that he was going to be interviewed that day and that was his ‘personal matter’.
It’s usual to have an inquest in the UK if the cause of death is unknown (the person had no known illnesses etc) or it is thought not to be due to natural causes (which would include possible suicide). They are saying it’s “not suspicious” because there’s no sign anyone else was involved.
The press are now saying that he was at his parents’ home in Gloucestershire.
Wonder if hypertension was an issue. Just saw a bunch of photos of him since the announcement of his sudden death, and he always looked like a had a sun burn.
Ooh, a scandal!! Where, exactly, was he when he passed away? The insinuation of a ladies man makes this all even odder. Died in a woman’s not his wife arms?!
Ex journalist here.
Not suspicious = no one else involved/no foul play.
DailyMail leading with headlines “he seemed happy” = 100% suicide, they just can’t say it yet.
“He narrowly avoided a terrorist attack on St George’s, the country’s only Anglican church, in 2004.”
For real? DailyFail calling any church practicing the official Church of England “the country’s only Anglican church” seems pretty stupid. Can’t believe ppl actually read that rag, seems like DailyFail exposure causes a loss of brain cells.
Not an apologist for the Awful Offal tabloid, but I got impression they meant the only Anglican church in Iraq. I feel sorry for his family. He and his wife look so happy in that photo!
Martha – Thanks for the correction. Mybad.
There will be an inquest and the Coroner’s Court will announce the findings. This could be highly embarrassing for the royals if drugs were found to be the cause of death. Even if William wasn’t there at the time he’s connected by friendship and family relationship. Also, Kate’s sister Pippa was dating Thomas Kingston during her husband hunting days.
An inquest will focus attention on that side of the Kent family. There are links with Russia including the cash-for-access scandal when Prince Michael was caught on camera accepting £10,000 for arranging access to Putin. Both he and his wife use their HRH status in their commercial work despite being told/asked not to by the late Queen. Princess Michael publishes history books as ‘Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent’ and has marketed herself as a public speaker making full use of her status.
Gabriella’s brother, Lord Frederick Windsor, is widely known as having been a heavy drugs user for many years. It affected his appearance. The fact that William is close to Gabriella and her brother will raise speculation about his lifestyle.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the ‘personal matter ‘ which kept William away from the memorial service was a police interview in connection with Thomas Kingston’s death. The results of the interview will be given to the Coroner.
Oh god, I hope it’s not the case that William’s personal matter was a police interview.
Some people are saying that the guy could have had a heart attack etc, but then friends wouldn’t be quoted as saying “they seemed so happy”. It seems very much like suicide and would be even worse if drugs are involved.