Lady Gabriella Windsor’s parents, Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Michael of Kent, attended King Constantine’s memorial service in Windsor on Tuesday, just two days after their son-in-law had been found dead. Lady Gabriella was not at the memorial service and neither was her brother Freddie Windsor. In retrospect, I think it was actually quite odd that the Kents came out – it would not have been a huge story if they skipped, as they’ve been semi-retired from royal life for a few years now. Plus, the bigger story ended up being Prince William’s absence, but they wouldn’t have known that as they prepared to go to the service. Anyway, I found this Telegraph piece really interesting – sources say that the Kents hoped to keep Thomas Kingston’s death a secret for another day:
The presence of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent at a memorial service for an esteemed friend of the Royal family went almost unnoticed on Tuesday. Dressed in black coats, the Princess keeping warm with a fur collar tied with a ribbon, they blended in seamlessly with the British and European royals flocking to commemorate the life of King Constantine of Greece.
They sat in the second row, occasionally exchanging words and studying their orders of service. At one point, Princess Michael raised her eyes skywards to take in the glories of St George’s Chapel, the site of so many special occasions.Their son in law, Mr. Thomas Kingston, had died suddenly two days earlier at the age of 45. The news had not yet been announced, and all had hoped to keep it private a little longer to allow their beloved Ella to grieve.
The epitome of their “keep calm and carry on” generation, Prince and Princess Michael chose to honour their commitment to the man known to them as Tino, so as not to raise suspicions about their absence. The decision, it is understood, was made with their family. Lady Ella was a goddaughter of King Constantine and would otherwise have been there.
Her brother Lord Frederick Windsor, and his wife Sophie Winkleman, also did not attend the service, believed to be comforting her and helping with the practicalities of such tragically early widowhood.
A source confirmed that Prince and Princess Michael were aware of Mr Kingston’s death, but did not want to cause alarm or raise questions by their absence.
In the event, attention was drawn to the service by a different absence – that of the Prince of Wales who pulled out at the last minute citing a “personal matter” that Kensington Palace would not explain. While the congregation assembled at Windsor Castle, some travelling in by coach, news of the Kingston family tragedy began to spread among them. Those who knew him and loved Lady Ella since birth composed themselves in front of the world’s media, paying their respects at an hour-long service before retreating for a private reception.
At 81 and 79 respectively, Prince and Princess Michael afforded the final respect to King Constantine by refusing to allow his memorial to be derailed. They also bought a little time for their daughter before her news was made public. It was the sort of duty, personal sacrifice and stiff upper lip expected by the late Queen Elizabeth’s generation. As one observer could not help but remark upon, it would have been deeply appreciated by her, the Greek royal family and most probably the King as well.
It had been hoped that public confirmation of Mr Kingston’s death could wait until the next day. But in an imperfect world, the spreading whispers meant it had to come sooner.
While we’ll never know for sure, I feel pretty comfortable saying that in most media/royalist circles, the Kents’ absence would not have been some huge deal. I don’t even believe they were featured in the program, unlike Prince William. That seems to be the real issue here, and it’s been underlined in several commentary pieces – the Kents kept a stiff upper lip and did their duty, even though their daughter had just lost her husband, and Prince William was too drunk/lazy to attend the service. I also find it odd that the Kents really thought that they could keep a lid on the news for days longer, and that the “whispers” about Kingston’s death started right after… the Kents told people at the memorial service. Guess someone in Windsor world thought announcing Kingston’s death would be a good way to deflect from William’s absence… but instead it brought up even more questions.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Windsor, Berkshire, UK, 27 February 2024: Princess Michael of Kent (left) and Prince Michael of Kent attend a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes at St George’s Chapel, in Windsor Castle, Berkshire.Constantine II, who died on January 10, 2023 was the last King of Greece, reigning from 1964 to 1974.,Image: 851430336, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jonathan Brady / Avalon
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- Windsor, Berkshire, UK, 27 February 2024: (front row left to right) Marina Ogilvy, Prince Andrew the Duke of York, the Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Gloucester, Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Princess Royal and (second row left to right) Princess Michael of Kent, Prince Michael of Kent, Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Sarah Duchess of York and Lady Helen Taylor attend a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes at St George’s Chapel, in Windsor Castle, Berkshire. Constantine II, who died on January 10, 2023 was the last King of Greece, reigning from 1964 to 1974.,Image: 851432991, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jonathan Brady / Avalon
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- Thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes at St George’s Chapel Featuring: Princess Michael of Kent (left) and Prince Michael of Kent Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 27 Feb 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
I do not understand any of this keeping it quiet for another day. Why? Why does it need to be kept quiet? If he died and it was just maybe a heart attack or something why keep it quiet. Keeping it quiet sounds suspicious.
It is very suspicious.. I wonder if it is scandalous or criminal actions they are trying to cover up.
It’s incredibly suspicious – we can’t forget that Prince Michael literally received a medal from Putin himself. These people are shady and dangerous. I also find it highly interesting that the Kents have such strong ties to notorious Russian oligarchs and meanwhile apparently Kingston’s parents are some VIPs working in Ukraine? idk, the whole thing stinks to high heaven, as does the back and forth re: if this was why will missed the event.
It’s interesting the bmedia keeps attaching the man’s death to Peggers by stating the “personal reason” for missing the memorial is not connected to this man’s death. Which tells me it just might be. Hmmmm
If this is a case where he died by suicide or some sort of drug overdose I can see them wanting to keep it quiet as long as possible, they’re old, and of that generation where those things are shameful, so they’d want it to be kept quiet and not released so that the masses wouldn’t be gossiping about them and their business. I mean that could also be the case even if it was just a heart attack, it’s simply not done to die at 45! (Sarcasm of course)
I’d argue that the longer they could keep it quiet the more time it gave them to process the information and begin to grieve without everyone breathing down their necks about it.
It’s usually so that people he knows can be privately notified and thus not have to find out via social media, a press release or the news. And it’s a jest setting bunch who knows who was where. I don’t find it particularly odd at all, especially considering he is not a public figure (unlike oh say Katie Keen).
WAIT WAIT WAIT.
DID THAT CAN THE PRINCE GET AWAY WITH MURDER ARTICLE COME OUT AFTER KINGSTON DIED?
I find it fascinating that the press was immediately like “NO PRINCE WILLIAM DID NOT MISS THIS EVENT DUE TO THE DEATH OF MR KINGSTON. FULL STOP. SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON”
It would have been SO easy to say William found out right before the ceremony, that he was especially close to Kingston and that he was blindsided and gutted by the news to the extent that he did not think he would be able to keep it together at his beloved godfathers memorial and he didn’t want to center himself in a memorial for a man he so deeply respected.
They couldn’t say that William was gutted because of Kingston’s death because that would probably be a lie. He certainly wasn’t more gutted than the Kent’s are for their daughter. William also bailed on his godfather’s funeral, so the whole “King Constantine was so important to me schtick” would not fly either. “Personal reasons” is the only play KP had because William is a lazy, selfish asshole and nobody would believe anything else. He only cares about himself.
They couldn’t say that bc he pulled out 45 minutes before the event. Kingston died on Sunday
This is a significant point. It isn’t just William’s absence it’s the very short notice he gave. What kind of personal matter could arise an hour or so before the service to require William’s immediate attention? It was unrelated to Kate. It might have been related to one of the children. Something related to Thomas Kingston is also a possibility given that the Coroner’s investigation had begun.
A Coroner’s Investigation is carried out as quickly as possible so that the cause of death can be established, a death certificate issued and the body released to the family for funeral arrangements. William could have been notified that he was required for interview that morning. If that was the case the royal lawyers would be involved.
Its feeling little iffy how the media is milking the death of this guy.
Royals were in attendance, therefore they publish photos & write reams about it. Apparently, that’s their job, prop up the royals.
Oh, wait, you mean the young guy who just died? Well, he’s royal-adjacent, so same thinking applies.
The media probably know more than they are currently allowed to publish. The facts will emerge from the Coroner’s Court.
That “stiff upper lip” is why the BRF are so emotionally stunted.
YES. I genuinely think the royals and England’s obsession with “stiff upper lip” and “keep calm and carry on” is so messed up. The whole island has generations of guilt and some form of undiagnosed trauma from all its centuries of colonizing. It’s so unhealthy
I agree with all of this, but in addition I think the Kents are just exceptionally cold people. Especially Pushy.
It pains me to admit that I believe the Nazi princess and Prince Michael of Russia in this case – that the announcement was planned for a later date.
The notice published by Bucks House mentioned Thursday (today), but then continued with the *27th*.
So it seems that not only the Men in Grey are amateurs, but they also have no people capable of proof reading a simple text in the offices at BP.
Still, it was strange that the official announcement of TK’s death came via the RF, but made no mention of the Kents, just Gabriella and the Kingston family – parents and the siblings.
Another huge, tactless blunder by Willbur. He really encapsulates all that’s wrong with the monarchy these days.
No one would’ve noticed the Kents were missing. They went to keep up appearances (their own importance) and then dropped the news on people and then are upset news got out a day early?
Honestly this is totally in character for that generation, as far as doing the emotionally strangest thing, and trying to ignore unpleasant things. It does make it slightly less likely their son in law died by his own choice, just because I can’t see them telling people that, but maybe they just hinted at it.
Also, I’m in Dallas and Will pulling out of the funeral was somehow a news alert I got from my local news app. That’s how big a deal it was internationally. Will and KP were for sure not expecting that.
Maybe they thought the people there wouldn’t talk to the press about it, which is not realistic of course. Even they didn’t, they would talk to some people who might.
“trying to ignore unpleasant things”
my first instinct was this! I was raised in a WASPy family (in Texas too) and some of the behaviors I now think about are so absurd compared to most other cultures. This mess is right on brand, sadly.
The presence of the Kents at the Constantine memorial was shameful considering the sudden and shocking death of their son in law. They should have stayed at home with their daughter.
Talk of attending because of stiff upper lip and royal duty is absolute rubbish. The Kents were there because they are so desperate to be relevant and ‘in’ with European royalty, just like the Tindalls who always make sure that they are front and centre at Royal events
William “kept it together” for the funerals of his mother, aunt, and grandparents so I’m sure he could have done likewise for Constantine’s.
His excuse was pitifully lame unless one of the kids had some serious accident, in which case that should have been divulged.
Aunt? Did one of the Spencer aunties die?
great aunt Margaret the queen’s sister
The Kents skipping this memorial would have gone mostly unnoticed. With all due respect, nobody is out here checking for them. The real story was Willy skipping it altogether with zero explanation. I can honestly see why the Kents would have rather the news broke a little later than anticipated. Mostly because they probably didn’t want the news being mixed up with the lazy heir’s shenanigans and thinking he skipped the memorial because of this unfortunate bereavement. But I can’t shake the fact the press were super eager to stress that Willy’s absence was not because of Mr. Kingston’s passing. Like he was some sort of suspect on Law & Order providing a fake alibi. This whole situation is very weird to me!
My take is that Kate has left Will and he is drinking his sorrow ( or rather the loss of control and power).. There was some gossip around back in january that a royal couple would split up.
Were we all wrong thinking he was the one who wanted out of the marriage, but it was Kate who left?
Interesting, interesting. And we haven’t seen or heard from Carole because she’s so p*ssed off?
As I suspected, the news was released to the press to distract from William’s absence.
Yes. The press release was dated Thursday Feb 27th (the 27th was Tues, Thurs is the 29th). In their rush to distract from Willy’s no show, they changed the date but forgot to change the day of the week.
I feel like a lot of people do keep doing things even when there is a tragedy in their lives. They go to church services, take kids on vacation… IIRC Jackie Kennedy didn’t cancel JFK jr’s birthday party after JFK’s funeral.
The Kents were close enough to Constantine that they made him the godfather of their daughter. The two of them showing up in respect for him on behalf of the family during the bereavement is something I or my family would probably do as well. Obviously Gabriella would not make it but might want someone to share her respects with his close family members that were there. I don’t see what’s so unusual about this.
…the Kingstons are handling the funeral arrangements of their own son and the Kents didn’t have anything better to do that day.
The End.
I wonder what Kingston’s parents and siblings thought of all of this? I genuinely don’t fault the Kents for their decisions, but I can’t imagine being a bereaved parent or sibling having a : “let’s keep this quiet for a few days” chat with their in-laws — because the in-laws have other priorities.
I’m assuming that the Kents were truly close to Constantine, and really wanted to be there to honor his memory— even in the face of additional grief. If so, I get that. Even deeply awful people can have their moments, I guess. It sure highlights William’s inadequacies though.
Those two were not integral to this service, their absence would not have been noticed & would have been understood by all. The Telegraph is just blowing smoke. Again.
One more thing: Princess Michael really didn’t need to tie a poor dead animal around her neck. There are other ways to keep warm.
Constantine was their daughter’s godfather. That suggests that they must have been close. While the general public might not have noticed the absence of the Kents, surely the family and friends would have. I guess it comes down to who knew what – and when they knew it.
This is the only time I’ve ever said anything remotely positive about either of the Prince Michael Kents, so this situation has pushed my sympathy button.
“Princess Michael really didn’t need to tie a poor dead animal around her neck. There are other ways to keep warm.” Like a blackamoor brooch? This non-working royal does whatever she wants, like marketing her for-profit romance books under “Her Royal Highness.”
i’d believe the plan was to sit on the story, but also …how do we know this happened on Sunday? idk, couldn’t her parents have attended because they didn’t know (or it hadn’t happened yet)?
I’m sure the social-climbing Princess Michael didn’t want to miss a chance to move in this circle. She and her husband aren’t known as the Rent-a-Kents for nothing.
If it had been me, I would have been with my grieving daughter.
Also, William really did screw up this time. He must be so bewildered that he’s being (mildly) called out for it.
My heart goes out to Lady Gabriella. It seems so recently that I saw photos of her wedding (and unfortunately all the snarky racist tinged jabs at Meghan and Harry’s wedding posted instead of well wishes to the newlyweds).
I hope she finds healing and peace despite all of the controversy around her husband’s death. My own husband is very ill and I can barely bring myself to contemplate the bereavement this young woman must be going through.
Her parents have always been unfathomable to me. I can’t imagine being a cruel racist married to a corrupt crony of oligarchs. And nothing about the Windsors at large or their lives makes sense to me.
That’s why I am fascinated and appalled at whatever is going on with them all now. There’s nothing I can extrapolate from my own family’s mundane levels of ordinary dysfunction to help me understand the mess I’m seeing now with this “royal” and royal-adjacent family.
All the moves and decisions that seem logical to me and apparently to fellow commenters here seem anathema to The Firm and their adjacents. They’re coming across as inscrutable because they’re the biggest pack of weirdos I’ve ever seen trying to exist in an unimaginably weird delicate dance of wealth, power, and public scrutiny.
I can only wonder at what Meghan and Doria thought about it all. Thanks goodness they are well out of it. May they stay and thrive that way.
(And once again I can’t type properly to save my life or my autocorrect has memorized and implanted a typo. It’s “Kate” not “Katr”)
Princess Michael is horrible. She is not liked by the Windsors—even QE2 scoffed that she was “a little too grand for us.”
In addition to that racist brooch stunt she pulled with Meghan, she told Black diners in a New York restaurant to “go back to the colonies” and has two black sheep named….Serena and Venus. Her dad was a full-on Nazi. She’s beyond vile. Diana couldn’t stand her.
But of course, the Windsors and the right wing press applaud her and her Putin-loving husband for abandoning their daughter whose husband just died to go be seen at a memorial. You get so many points from this crew for ignoring your family members in the name of “duty.”
I think it’s a suicide. The way it took place at his parent’s house is strange. Maybe the body was moved. My theory is that Tom wasn’t happily married. He looks awkward in photos with Gabrielle. Also, he was a financier that invested in countries like Iran, China, Vietnam. Maybe it was financial. He was under a lot of stress. Possibly lost money.