Thomas Kingston was given a royal farewell today at a funeral attended by Prince William and other members of the royal family.

The body of the financier, who was found dead last month aged 45, was carried in a procession that started at Kensington Palace, the childhood home of his widow, Lady Gabriella Windsor.

The procession ended at Ambassador’s Court at St James’s Palace. A private family funeral was then held at the Chapel Royal, where many royal weddings have taken place, including that of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840.

More recently, Prince George, the eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales, was baptized there in 2013. And while William was present, Kate stayed home and continued to recover from abdominal surgery she underwent in January.

Lady Gabriella was accompanied at the funeral by her parents, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, her brother, Lord Frederick Windsor and his wife, the actress Sophie Winkleman.

The Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra were also present in the gathering of 140 people.

The King – Lady Gabriella’s second cousin – and the Queen were not present.

Charles is not attending public events while he undergoes treatment for cancer, and the Queen hosted a WOW (Women of the World) reception at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Kingston’s body was later cremated.

Mr Kingston and Lady Gabriella, known as Ella, married in 2019 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, in a ceremony attended by Prince Michael’s cousin Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

They lived in London, but he was visiting his parents at their home in the Cotswolds when he died.

A coroner’s court was told: ‘His father went to walk the dogs. On his return, Mr. Kingston was not in the house. After about 30 minutes his mother went looking for him.”

Katy Skerrett, Gloucestershire’s senior coroner, added: ‘His father forced entry into a locked outbuilding. Mr Kingston was found inside with catastrophic head injuries. A firearm was present at the scene. The police are confident that the death is not suspicious.”

The coroner said a post-mortem examination had been carried out and the preliminary cause of death had been determined as a traumatic wound to the head. She formally opened and suspended the inquest into the death.

Announcing his death last month, Buckingham Palace described Kingston, a financier, as a “much-loved member of the family” who was mourned by King Charles and Queen Camilla. A friend of the couple says: ‘They remained childless, but were happily married until the end.’

After studying economic history at the University of Bristol, Kingston joined the Foreign Office’s Diplomatic Missions Unit in Iraq, where he worked as a project officer for the Iraqi Institute of Peace from 2003 to 2006.

Last month, Lady Gabriella paid tribute to her husband in a joint statement with his family, describing him as an ‘exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him’ – and calling his death a ‘great shock to the whole family’ . .

She released a personal photo she took of her husband, which showed him smiling and wearing a casual pink shirt as he stood by a stretch of water in the sun.

The couple married in 2019 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, with Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh, among the guests.

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 financing to companies in frontier economies.

He was a close friend of Pippa Matthews, sister of the Princess of Wales, and the pair are said to have dated in 2011.

Lady Gabriella, who has worked as art and travel director for a branding company, is a writer and editor.

She is also a singer-songwriter and released two bossa nova-inspired songs in 2020 to raise money for charity.

Lady Gabrielle and her husband were last pictured together in public on Valentine’s Day at an event celebrating the works of William Shakespeare.

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Lady Gabriella Windsor has lost her husband – who passed away suddenly aged 45 – Buckingham Palace has announced. 

The late Queen’s cousin, 42, is the daughter of Prince Michael of Kent, and paid tribute to Thomas Kingston in a joint statement with his family, describing him as an ‘exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him’.

Thomas was found dead at an address in Gloucestershire on Sunday evening and emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 6pm. 

His wife and family described his death as a ‘great shock’. 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 condolences to Lady Gabriella, who tied the knot with her late husband at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in 2019.

The wedding reception was held at Frogmore House, the former residence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Lady Gabriella wore a lace gown by Italian designer Luisa Beccaria. Embroidered with flowers and embellishments, layers of blush-coloured tulle and organdie created the body of the wedding gown under the lace, fanning out for a long train.

Known as Ella, the bride had a creamy ivory Ella rose in her bouquet alongside myrtle, a tradition in many royal bridal flower arrangements. The bridesmaids and pageboys wore outfits by the same designer.

Isabella and Maud Windsor – Lady Gabriella’s nieces – and the other bridesmaids wore cream dresses with blush underlays and sashes, with flower rings in their hair in a similar style to the bouquet. 

The young royal was born on April 23 1981. Her mother, Princess Michael, has made headlines over the years for her outspoken comments, being dubbed ‘Princess Pushy’ by the press.

Her parents married in 1978 and she has one older sibling, her brother Lord Frederick, known as Freddie, who hit the headlines after admitting to using drugs at university.

Lord Frederick married Peep Show actress Sophie Winkleman in 2009 and the pair have two children together.

Lady Gabriella studied at both Brown University in the US and the University of Oxford, with degrees in Comparative Literature and Social Anthropology.

She is a writer and contributing editor, working with The London Magazine amid other publications.

Not a ‘working royal’, she is also board director for the Playing for Change Foundation, a non-profit organisation aiming to improve education through music. 

Lady Gabriella has also dabbled in the arts herself, and in 2020 released two songs as a singer-songwriter – Out of Blue and Bam Bam to help raise money for charity.  

Prior to her husband, Lady Gabriella dated journalist Aatish Taseer, who previously wrote a tell-all Vanity Fair article which claimed they swam naked in the Buckingham Palace pool.

She had been dating Thomas for a number of years when he proposed while they were on the island of Sark in 2018.

Thomas was a director of Devonport Capital, which specialises in providing finance for companies in ‘frontier economies’.

The Bristol University graduate worked in Baghdad, Iraq, according to the Telegraph, working to procure the release of hostages after joining the Diplomatic Missions Unit of the Foreign Office.

His financial career credentials include roles at Voltan Capital Management and IDC Securities.

Thomas is a close friend of Pippa Middleton – the Duchess of Cambridge’s sister – with the pair seen out and about together on numerous occasions.

He attended her wedding to James Matthews in May 2017, accompanied by Lady Gabriella.

Since their marriage, Lady Gabriella and her husband were known to attend a myriad of events on the royal calendar, having made appearances at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee two years ago as well as her funeral that same year.

In 2022, Lady Gabriella appeared to collapse as the late Queen’s coffin arrived at Westminster Hall, Hello reported.

She attended the intimate service with her parents and husband and was seen standing in line with other members of the Royal Family as Her Majesty’s coffin was brought inside.

Video shows a member of staff rushing over to assist and Mr Kingston turning around to help his wife.

Photos taken later in the service show Lady Gabriella missing from the line-up, although she was able to leave the Hall arm-in-arm with her husband. 

Despite her fainting, the service continued without further incident. 

She wasn’t seen again during the service, however she was later photographed leaving hand-in-hand with her husband Thomas. 

Lady Gabriella was known to have a close relationship with the monarch, who attended her wedding in 2019. 

At the time, a photograph of the bride leaning down to chat to Queen Elizabeth, who was beaming with joy, went viral on social media. 

In the summer, Lady Gabriella and Thomas were also spotted at the Royal Ascot with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

They were also seen at a Chanel exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum that same year. 

The King and Queen have sent their ‘most heartfelt thoughts and prayers’ to Lady Gabriella and Thomas’s family.

A statement on behalf of Lady Gabriella and Thomas’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.’

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Lady Gabriella’s parents, both attended a memorial service at St George’s Chapel today for King Constantine of Greece. 

It’s understood that Prince William’s absence from the memorial today was not linked to Mr Kingston’s death. 

A video showing the late queen appearing overcome with emotion following the 2019 wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston, whose death at the age of 45 was announced on Tuesday, has resurfaced.

The emotional video shows the late queen, who died in September 2022, wiping away a tear of joy as she saw off the happy couple five years ago, with Prince Philip by her side, outside St George’s Chapel in Windsor.

Mr. Kingston sudden death at the age of 45 has sent shock waves through the world Royal family.

The music video is a cheerful tribute to both the couple and the late monarch, who wore a striking pink suit to the wedding, which took place on May 18, 2019.

Waiting patiently outside Windsor’s famous chapel after the couple’s wedding, the late queen is seen standing with her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, with her sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward also in view.

As the Queen sees the wedding car, she waves to the daughter of Princess Michael of Kent and her new husband, who smiles back.

After the couple drives past, the late monarch appears to wipe away a tear at the emotion of the wedding.

The wedding proved to be a joyous family moment for the Windsors, with Prince Harry also attending and taking time away from his then-newborn son Archie. And the guest list at Lady Gabriella’s wedding proved the royal family’s appreciation for her.

Other royals present for the couple’s big day included Sarah, Duchess of York, Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Marpelli Mozzi and Princess Anne.

The Middleton family were also out with guests from Kate’s parents Carole and Michael and sister Pippa – thanks to her long-standing friendship with the groom.

Dubbed at the time the ‘biggest society wedding of the year’, attendees included Julian Fellowes, known as the creator of the TV period drama Downton Abbey.

Prince Philip, who retired in May 2017, made a rare public appearance at the wedding in 2019, arriving at St George’s Chapel with Queen Elizabeth.

The Duke of Sussex also attended the wedding, just 12 days after the birth of Archie, his first son with wife Meghan Markle – and on the eve of their first wedding anniversary.

To further demonstrate the importance of this wonderful occasion, the royal family’s official website shared three official photos from the wedding day.

One of the photos was a family portrait showing the delighted queen and her beaming husband sitting together in front of other family members.

The radiant bride arrived at St George’s Chapel in a burgundy vintage car, accompanied by her father, Prince Michael of Kent.

She dazzled in an ivory lace dress by Italian designer Luisa Beccaria, with a boat neck, sheer embroidered sleeves and an A-line skirt.

Gabriella, known to her friends as Ella, wore a breathtaking six-metre veil, which was placed by the designer on the steps of the chapel.

Sadly, the couple would not be married for another full five years before Mr Kingston’s untimely death at the age of 45, which was announced by Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening.

Mourners have paid tribute to an ‘exceptional’ and ‘enigmatic’ Mr Kingston following his shocking death.

The son-in-law of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent was found dead at an address in Gloucestershire on Sunday evening, with emergency services arriving on the scene shortly after 6pm.

Tributes have now been paid to the financier who survived a suicide bombing in 2004 and negotiated the transfer of hostages with bloodthirsty militias, saving countless lives.

An investigation will be conducted, 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.

Now I’m REALLY worried.

On Tuesday morning, with barely two hours to spare, the Prince of Wales announced he would not show up at the memorial service for the late ex-King Constantine II of Greece, none other than his godfather.

The reason given was ‘due to a personal matter’. Hmmm. He also forfeited the honor of giving a lecture.

All of this immediately made me and so many others worry about Kate.

Twitter caught fire (11,000 posts about William, 47,000 about Kate) with feverish speculation. This is despite the fact that the Palace almost in the same breath insisted that ‘the Princess of Wales is doing well’, which sounds rather lame.

It would almost tell us to keep our proletarian noses out.

Since then we have been assured of the death of Tom Kingston, husband of Lady Gabriella – daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent not the reason for William’s absence.

That sad announcement was made a few hours after the service, even though he was found dead on Sunday.

Bravely, and if necessary proof that the royals are nothing if not stoic, Gabriella’s parents chose to attend the memorial service.

It was all the more poignant because the venue was St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, where Gabriella and Tom had their wedding in 2019, attended by the late Queen.

Gabriella’s parents looked somber yesterday but gave nothing away. They were in the middle of a family tragedy, but they knew the show had to go on.

The temptation to stay with Ella and comfort her must have torn the Kents in two, but the royals always put duties first.

Which of course last night only fueled more speculation that if William didn’t show up, something must be terribly wrong.

He was raised with duty as his watchword. Even as a 15-year-old boy, he managed to keep it together and walk behind his mother’s coffin.

What on earth could have caused the dramatic last-minute no-show?

Although most of us have never heard of the late King Constantine, William’s decision not to appear is baffling. The king, who died just over a year ago, was a cousin of William’s grandfather, Prince Philip, and a senior European royal.

Guests included the King and Queen of Spain, as well as Queen Camilla and Princess Anne.

William’s absence has been confusing on so many levels and I wonder why the Palace is allowing the rumor mill to get out of hand by not giving us a good reason?

Desperate for news, like so many people, I go online. And there, oh dear, oh dear, is a montage that may not quite bring about the end of the monarchy, but one that suggests it will certainly become irrelevant.

The photos of the service were downright Victorian: so dark and gloomy and the protagonists – there is no other expression for that – as old as the hills.

Crumbling. No hint of glamour, no juice in those veins.

Of course it was a somber occasion, but didn’t the sight of the Princess of Wales in a black veil at Prince Philip’s funeral give hope for the future?

Unfortunately, the royal attendance consisted mainly of gray heads and wrinkles. And Prince Andrew, 64 – Prince Andrew! – who led the procession to the chapel. That certainly wouldn’t have happened if William had been present.

The Duchess and Duke of Gloucester, 77 and 79. Princess Alexandra was there at 87, Commander Tim Laurence, 68, alongside Princess Anne, 73.

And of course Queen Camilla, 76. The combined age of the royals in the front row was 581.

All this makes me long for William and Catherine: tall and elegant as reeds, far more glamorous than any movie stars.

Why on earth no one thought to get Princess Beatrice (row two), Zara (row three) in the best seats to increase style and youth numbers is beyond me.

And where is Lady Louise, Philip’s granddaughter?

Nor have I spied a single person of color in our royal ranks.

Royal courtiers will of course shout ‘protocol’.

Queen Camilla is holding down the fort, but even she must be thinking, “We’re really on our last legs.”

You can imagine the groans of relief as the congregation sits down.

Of course, age brings experience, gravitas, wisdom and devotion to duty – again, Gabriella’s parents did exactly what the late Queen Elizabeth would have done: straighten their backs and put their game face on.

But this doesn’t guarantee a future, let alone positive oohs and aahs from a waving crowd.

We have never seen William and Kate, or even Harry and Meghan, need such an acute need: they would be an HRT injection. It would be all, ‘What is she wearing?’ “Are the boys talking?” “How’s Harry’s hair?”

Instead we said, ‘The Duke just sat down, oh my God, will he ever come up again?’

Like it or not, the Royal Family is all about glamour, marketing and putting on a show. It shouldn’t look doom-like and smell like mothballs. Princess Michael herself has described the older royal family as ‘boring’ in the past.

The royal family looks very gloomy indeed. Bring back the Fab Four, or even a Fab One.

We really can’t bear any more bad news. Prince William must do his duty. Not only for his wife and children, but also for us.

Lady Gabriella Windsor has already felt the immediate support of the wider Royal Family following the sudden death of Thomas Kingston at the age of 45 – with the King and Queen paying tribute to her late husband. 

The financier, who wed Lady Gabriella, 42, in 2019 in a ceremony attended by the late Queen and Prince Philip and a host of other senior royals, was found dead at a residence in Gloucestershire on Sunday evening.

Buckingham Palace said it was supporting Mr Kingston’s devastated family despite the couple not being working royals, which is testament to just how well liked Lady Gabriella, often known just as ‘Ella’, is in the highest royal circles. 

In a statement released yesterday, a spokesman for Their Majesties 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’.

Last summer, Lady Gabriella, a writer, and Mr Kingston, who during his previous career with the Foreign Office was posted to Iraq, were pictured enjoying the company of the King, her second cousin, and Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot.

In happier times, the two couples were seen laughing and joking as they cheered on their respective horses at the event – with Lady Gabriella’s relaxed, chatty nature, which has long endeared her to the senior royals, clear to see. 

As a writer and contributing editor, working with The London Magazine amongst other publications, ‘Ella’ has clearly experienced a broad spectrum of life in her work, and has a social conscience too.

She’s board director for the Playing for Change Foundation, a non-profit organisation aiming to improve education through music.

Lady Gabriella has also dabbled in the arts herself, and in 2020 released two songs as a singer-songwriter – Out of Blue and Bam Bam to help raise money for charity.

Prior to meeting her husband, Lady Gabriella dated journalist Aatish Taseer, who previously wrote a tell-all Vanity Fair article which claimed they swam naked in the Buckingham Palace pool.

She had been dating Mr Kingston for a number of years when he proposed while they were on the island of Sark in 2018.

He was a director of Devonport Capital, which specialises in providing finance for companies in ‘frontier economies’.

The Bristol University graduate worked in Baghdad, Iraq, according to the Telegraph, working to procure the release of hostages after joining the Diplomatic Missions Unit of the Foreign Office.

At the couple’s wedding on May 18th 2019, the guest list proved the esteem in which Lady Ella is held by the royal family, with the late Queen and Prince Philip joined by other senior royals including Prince Harry, who took time away from his then newborn son Archie.

Prince Philip, who retired from royal duties in May 2017, made a rare public appearance at St George’s Chapel and other royals in attendance on the couple’s big day included Sarah, Duchess of York, Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Marpelli Mozzi and Princess Anne.

A video showing the late Queen appearing to be overcome with emotion following the nuptials – dubbed ‘the society wedding of 2106’ – has resurfaced this week.

The emotional clip shows the late Queen, who died in September 2022, wiping away a tear of joy as she waved the happy couple off. 

Waiting patiently outside Windsor’s famous chapel, the late monarch is seen patiently standing with her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, and her sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

Later, Queen Elizabeth appears to wipe away a tear of emotion. The affectionate was clearly mutual. In 2022, Lady Gabriella appeared to collapse as the late Queen’s coffin arrived at Westminster Hall, Hello reported.

She attended the intimate service with her parents and husband and was seen standing in line with other members of the Royal Family as Her Majesty’s coffin was brought inside.

In the days following her husband’s shock death, Lady Gabriella, who studied at both Brown University in the US and the University of Oxford – and boasts degrees in Comparative Literature and Social Anthropology, is likely to turn to her closest family. 

Her parents, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, married in 1978 and she has one older sibling, Lord Frederick ‘Freddie’ Windsor. 

Freddie, 44, and his wife Sophie Winkleman, 43, half-sister of Strictly presenter Claudia, live close by after re-locating back to the UK from California.

In an interview with Tatler magazine in December, Sophie said she loved ‘all the Kents’, suggesting the family share a close relationship.  

Her parents, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, enjoyed a close relationship with their son-in-law. 

Mr Kingston’s family are also likely to encircle Lady Gabriella with a ring of support. The minor royal and Mr Kingston’s family have put on a united front following their loss. 

A statement released by the Palace on behalf of Lady Gabriella, Thomas’s parents and his sisters, read: ‘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.’

Lady Gabriella Windsor and her husband Thomas Kingston were ‘happy and chatty’ at a National Gallery event just days before his shock death aged 45, close friends have revealed. 

The sudden death of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent’s son-in-law has left the Royal Family and friends in a state of deep shock.

The financier and former hostage negotiator was found dead at an address in Gloucestershire on Sunday evening, with emergency services called to the scene shortly after 6pm.

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. 

Lady Gabriella, 42, who is 56th in line to the throne, and Mr Kingston were married for nearly five years, having tied the knot at St George’s Chapel at Windsor in May 2019.

One friend who spoke to the couple 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.’

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.’

Mr Kingston and Lady Gabriella were last pictured together on Valentine’s Day at an event to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio attended by Queen Camilla.

Although Lady Gabriella is not a working member of the Royal Family, Buckingham Palace said it was supporting Mr Kingston’s devastated family.

It last night stepped in to announce the news on their behalf and released two photographs that Lady Gabriella and her husband’s relatives were keen to share in tribute to the man they described as being ‘exceptional’ and someone who ‘lit up the lives of all that knew him’.

In a statement, a spokesman for Their Majesties 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’.

A second statement released by the Palace on behalf of Lady Gabriella, Thomas’s parents and his sisters, read: ‘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.’

Lady Gabriella – known as Ella to her friends – and Mr Kingston’s wedding in 2019 was attended by Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as other senior royals. 

She wore a gown by Italian designer Lucia Beccaria with her grandmother’s tiara, the Kent City of London tiara. It was also worn by her mother, Princess Michael, on her wedding day, and has been in their family since 1934.

Her father, Prince Michael, is the late Queen’s first cousin and the son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary.

The prince and princess, who are non-working royals, bravely appeared at yesterday’s memorial service at St George’s Chapel for King Constantine of Greece, despite the unfolding tragedy.

It would have been a particularly distressing experience for them given that it was the scene happiness when their daughter and Mr Kingston married there four years earlier. It is understood the Prince of Wales’s absence on a personal matter was not connected to the news of Mr Kingston’s death.

Constantine was Lady Gabriella’s godfather and attended her wedding.  

Mr Kingston married into the Royal Family after a summer proposal on the island of Sark almost six years ago.

It’s understood that Lady Gabriella was always a favourite of the late Queen’s and the monarch had agreed to attend the couple’s wedding ‘at once’. 

Their wedding at the 15th-century venue came less than a year after the star-studded nuptials of Duke and Duchess of Sussex in May 2018 and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in October the same year.

Among the guests at the service were 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. 

The reception was held at Frogmore House, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  staged their wedding dinner.

Mr Kingston’s career was broadly focused on finance, with a range of credentials including his most recent position as a director of Devonport Capital, which specialises in providing finance for companies in ‘frontier economies’.

But the Bristol University graduate also spent time in Baghdad, Iraq, where he was working to procure the release of hostages after joining the Diplomatic Missions Unit of the Foreign Office. 

He had countless narrow escapes in three action-packed years in the Iraqi capital, including escaping a suicide-bombing that claimed 22 lives. 

In 2006, Mr Kingston joined Schroder’s Asset Management in London before joining Voltan Capital Management in 2012.

Five years later, Mr Kingston – who had a bachelor’s degree in economic history – became a director of Devonport Capital Ltd.

Mr Kingston was a close friend of Pippa Middleton, the Princess of Wales’ sister, who he was often seen out and about with.

In fact, the pair were said to have struck up a romance in 2011, following the end of Ms Middleton’s relationship with cricketer Alex Loudon – but he denied they ever dated.

After the rumoured romance fizzled out, he remained a regular part of Ms Middleton’s social set and the pair remained friends.

A friend of Ms Middleton previously told Daily Mail’s Richard Kay: ‘Tom is utterly charming, polite and very popular with the ladies. In fact, he is just the kind of guy you would want to introduce to your mother.’

Mr Kingston was always someone who flitted discreetly in and around royal circles. He also dated Natalie Hicks-Lobbecke, an old flame of Prince William whom he dated while working in Iraq.

He and Ms Hicks-Lobbecke, who is now married to baronet’s son Ed Milbank, met when both were at Bristol University.

One close friend previously told the Mail: ‘Tom’s great achievement is that none of his old girlfriends have anything but nice things to say about him. Even when it’s all over, they still like him.

‘In old-fashioned terms, he is a gentleman, just the kind of guy you want to introduce to your mother.’

A male friend also said: ‘He’s one of those guys who can be quite enigmatic and doesn’t tell you what he is thinking. He’s careful. Perhaps it’s a legacy from the work he was doing in Iraq.’

His family’s background includes a former ambassador to Denmark and a great-grandfather who was thrice mayor of Walsall in the West Midlands. 

Mr Kingston was born in Evesham, Worcestershire. His QC father, a self-made man educated at a secondary modern school, has been a hugely successful barrister specialising in planning law.

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.

Described by friends as ‘sweet and literature-loving’, Lady Gabriella is a much loved member of the wider Royal Family and is frequently invited to events, occasionally appearing on the Buckingham Palace balcony. 

The shock news of Mr Kingston’s death comes as members of the Royal Family attended a thanksgiving service for the late King Constantine.

Queen Camilla led the Royal Family in the absence of her husband, King Charles, who is taking a break from royal duties as he battles cancer.

Prince William, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, were also absent from the service – but Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson did attend.

King Charles was at Windsor Castle earlier in the day but left before the service began – with the reception afterwards set to be hosted by Camilla. 

Princess Kate, who also missed the service, is ‘doing well’ as she recovers from abdominal surgery.  

The last photo of Thomas Kingston with his wife Lady Gabriella Windsor was taken on Valentine’s Day at a Shakespeare event in London, where Queen Camilla was also in attendance.

It was announced this evening that the son-in-law of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent had died suddenly last night at a property in Gloucestershire.

Mr Kingston, 45, was found on Sunday evening and emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 6pm. An investigation will be held to determine the cause of death, but it is not being treated as suspicious and no third parties are involved.

Paying tribute to her financier husband, Lady Gabriella described him as an “exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him.”

In a joint statement issued on behalf of his wife and grieving relatives, his death was described as a “shock to the entire family.”

Just two weeks ago, Mr Kingston and Lady Gabriella were seen beaming into the camera at a Celebration of Shakespeare event at Grovesnor House.

The couple, both dressed in blue, appeared happy at the event, which saw the Queen attend the gathering to mark 400 years since the first Shakespeare folio.

A week later the couple, who had been married for five years, was spotted together at an event at the National Gallery.

A statement on behalf of the Kents’ daughter Lady Gabriella Kingston, Mr Martin and Mrs Jill Kingston, Mrs Joanna Connolly and Mrs Emma Murray, said: ‘It is with the deepest sadness 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 entire family and we ask that you respect our privacy as we mourn his passing.”

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson 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 a much-loved member of the family.

“In particular, Their Majesties send their deepest thoughts and prayers to Gabriella and the entire Kingston family.”

Looking brave, Lady Gabriella’s parents, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, attended a memorial service at St George’s Chapel for their daughter’s godfather, King Constantine of Greece.

Dressed all in black for the memorial service for the late Greek monarch, the Kents spoke quietly to each other as they sat in the pews of St. George’s Chapel.

Prince William had to withdraw from this morning’s memorial service at the last minute for unspecified ‘personal reasons’. It is understood his absence was not related to Mr Kingston’s death.

Lady Gabriella, known to the family as Ella, and her husband married in 2019 at St George’s Chapel on the Windsor estate.

The wedding reception took place at Frogmore House, the former residence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Mr Kingston – known as Tom – had been a director of private equity firm Devonport Capital since 2017. His financial career also included stints at Voltan Capital Management and IDV Securities.

Before that, the Bristol University graduate spent time in Baghdad, Iraq, where he assisted in the release of hostages as part of his role in the Foreign Office’s Diplomatic Mission Unit.

During his time in the Middle East, he also worked as a project officer for the Iraqi Institute of Peace.

Mr Kingston was known as a close friend of the Princess of Wales’s sister Pippa Middleton, with whom he was often pictured on the road.

The pair struck up a romance in 2011 following the end of Ms Middleton’s relationship with cricketer Alex Loudon. Things eventually ended, but they remained close through their mutual friend Nico Jackson.

A friend of Mrs Middleton previously told Daily Mail’s Richard Kay: ‘Tom is extremely charming, polite and very popular with the ladies. In fact, he’s exactly the kind of man you’d want to introduce to your mother.”

After marrying Lady Gabriella, Mr Kingston was immersed in royal life. He accompanied his wife to the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth in 2022, with whom she was close.

Her father, Prince Michael, was the Queen’s first cousin and a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary.

On other occasions, Mr Kingston was seen at Trooping the Color and sat in the Royal Box at Wimbledon.

Jazmin Grimaldi has celebrated her ‘brotherly love’ with her younger half-siblings by sharing a series of invisible snaps on Instagram to mark their ninth birthday.

The California-based actress, 31, the ‘illegitimate’ daughter of Prince Albert of Monaco with Tamara Rotolo, went Instagram to share unseen photos of Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.

The message comes after Princess Charlene’s decision to delete her Instagram account to protect her children’s privacy and keep them away from the ‘pressures’ of life in the public eye for as long as possible.

However, Jazmin – who has had a string of small film roles – took to social media to share a selection of personal images featuring the kids with her 35,000 followers.

Prince Albert’s son Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste – Albert’s eldest son with Nicole Coste, 52, a former Air France flight attendant from Togo, was also featured in the birthday post.

On Instagram, Jazmin wrote: ‘Happy 9th birthday to my brother Jacques and my sister Gabriella! Swipe for more brother-sister love!’

The first image showed an official portrait of the twins that was previously shared on the Monaco Palace Instagram page.

Princess Gabriella wore a chic navy blue coat with a medal on the lapel, and she completed the look with a matching beret.

Her twin brother looked dapper in a military-style uniform blazer paired with navy trousers.

Jazmin then shared a photo of her with the twins on what appears to be a summer day out.

Jacques held a Sonic the hedgehog toy while Gabriella sat next to Jazmin with a smile on her face.

The last photo showed twins Jazmin and Alexandre on a family day out. The siblings smiled for a photo on a bench with their arms around each other.

Princess Gabriella Thérèse Marie and Prince Jacques Honoré Rainier were born by Caesarean section on December 10, 2014 at the Princess Grace Hospital in Monaco.

A trained opera singer, Jazmin is the little-known daughter of Prince Albert II of Monaco and American real estate agent Tamara Rotolo.

A DNA test in May 2006 confirmed that Albert was the father of Jazmin Grace, the result of an affair with Tamara Rotolo, an American real estate agent he met while she was on holiday in the south of France.

Her mother, a waitress at the time, had an affair with the monarch in 1991 while she was on holiday.

Born in Palm Springs and raised in Palm Desert and Orange County, Jazmin had a childhood marked by a striking normality.

She got straight A’s at Catholic school, played forward on her high school’s basketball team and, like her grandmother, showed an early appetite for the stage, performing with her church choir and in school plays.

However, she did not meet her father until she was 11 and visited Monaco for the first time. It was, she says, a moment that would redefine their relationship forever.

“I wanted to connect with my father at that moment, get to know him and let him get to know me,” Jazmin said in 2015.

‘Because I didn’t have that figure with me, I missed that. It’s great that it happened when it did, and we’ve had a great relationship ever since.”

Tamara, now a real estate agent, took Jazmin to California and didn’t meet her father until she was 11 years old.

In August last year, Jazmin revealed her close relationship with Albert’s second love child, Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste, as she marked his 18th birthday in a sweet Instagram post.

She previously shared a series of Instagram posts from her half-brother’s birthday party, writing: ‘It’s a party. Happy birthday, my little brother Alexandre!’

An opera-trained singer, Jazmin sang with a friend’s band in college before launching her solo career with a cabaret-style showcase, Fall in Love With Jaz, at the Duplex Theater in Manhattan.

But she is also a frequent visitor to the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, her family’s historic 235-room fortress on the French Riviera.

Photographer Michael Avedon, whose late grandfather Richard photographed Grace Kelly, shot Jazmin there for her Harper’s Bazaar spread, in which she modeled a series of outfits that exuded old Hollywood glamour.

Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella look adorable with their arms around each other in a photo shared to mark their ninth anniversary.

The twins of Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco beamed for the photo shared on the Monaco Palace Instagram page.

Princess Gabriella wore a chic navy blue coat with a medal on the lapel and completed the look with a matching beret.

Her twin brother looked dapper in a military-style uniform blazer paired with navy trousers.

The caption read: ‘Congratulations Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.’

Princess Gabriella Thérèse Marie and Prince Jacques Honoré Rainier were born by Caesarean section on December 10, 2014 at the Princess Grace Hospital in Monaco.

Charlene expressed her joy at the time, declaring that she was “in love” with the “magical” twins.

“What I can tell you is that they are both very active and very expressive,” she told a magazine. “They’re beautiful, cute.”

She also talked about when the children arrived and admitted she was a little nervous about the health of the babies who, she explained, had arrived two weeks early.

“At first I was happy to hear their first cries,” she said. ‘I was obviously a bit overwhelmed with emotion.

‘Every second with them is magical. I look forward to spending more time in their presence.”

Gabriella was born first at 5:04 p.m., with her twin brother following two minutes later, a palace statement confirmed at the time.

Although Jacques is a few minutes younger than his twin sister, Monaco is still ruled by male-biased primogeniture, meaning the eldest son inherits the throne over all older sisters.

Only if a female heir has no eligible brothers or brothers with surviving male descendants will she ascend to the throne.

Their births were celebrated with 21 cannon shots each, 15 minutes of church bells and boat horns.

The twins were formally presented to the public on January 7, 2015, and the date has since been recognized as a public holiday in Monaco.

But while Charlene and Prince Albert may have been in a heartwarming baby bubble this time all those years ago, rumors have swirled in recent years that the royal couple are on the rocks.

The Monegasque royal family recently returned to Monaco after a solo trip to her native South Africa, where she was visiting family.

The trip marked her first visit to the country since 2021, when she was suffering from a terrible illness that kept her away from her husband and eight-year-old twins for several months because she could not fly.

During her most recent visit, she revealed in an interview that she is tired of hearing rumors about problems in her marriage to 65-year-old Albert, admitting she has no idea where they come from.

The comments come after she told a Monaco publication that she is “serene and happy” in her marriage – denying rumors emerging in German and French media that she was now “living in Switzerland” and that her marriage ” ceremonial’.

Speculation about the couple’s marriage was further fueled this summer when Charlene deleted her Instagram account.

However, the mother of two shut down speculation surrounding her decision, claiming it was purely to protect her children’s privacy.

She revealed she wants to keep the twins away from the “pressures” of life in the public eye for as long as possible – although she admits they are already picking things up.

Speaking about the close siblings, she said she is “grateful” to know they will always be there for each other.

Reports that Prince Albert and Princess Charlene’s relationship was on shaky ground date back to their wedding day in 2011, when she was dubbed the ‘Runaway Bride’ by the French media for allegedly trying to flee before the ceremony.

In 2021, Princess Charlene’s extended visit to South Africa reignited the rumor mill as she was not seen in Monaco for ten months.

On her return to the principality, Albert claimed she was ‘overwhelmed’ and ‘unwell’. He told People magazine that it became “quite clear” that she was “unwell” a few hours after Charlene’s return, before he went to Switzerland for further treatment.

He said the former Olympian “realized she needed help,” adding: “She was overwhelmed and unable to cope with official duties, life in general or even family life.”

The prince said the final treatment decision-making process involved an intervention-style meeting with family members, explaining: “I sat her down with her brothers and a sister-in-law. She had already made her decision and we just wanted her to confirm it in front of us. She wanted this.

‘She already knew it was best to rest and get some real medically framed treatment. And not in Monaco. For privacy reasons it should be somewhere outside Monaco.’

Meanwhile, he revealed that Gabriella and Jacques would ‘visit’ Charlene once they were ‘medically cleared’, saying the twins ‘knew she was tired’ and ‘not quite themselves’.

The glitterati came out in force for the NGV Gala 2023 at the National Gallery of Victoria on Saturday. 

Leading the charge was Liam Hemsworth, who was joined by his glamorous girlfriend Gabriella Brooks. 

The Hunger Games star looked dapper in a slick black suit that accentuated his broad shoulders. 

He had his blonde hair perfectly slicked back and had trimmed his facial hair to ensure that he looked smart and respectable for the occasion. 

Gabriella looked chic in a blue satin gown which was casually draped around her slender frame. 

The 27-year-old slicked her dark blonde hair back into a tight bun and kept her makeup minimal. 

At one point, she gazed adoringly up at her strapping boyfriend as they posed for photos.

Former MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong was impossible to miss in a dramatic red gown.

Looking almost unrecognisable compared to her usual self, the 41-year-old appeared to have dyed her brunette hair a chestnut brown. 

Meanwhile, model Jessica Gomes went for a much simpler look compared to some of the extravagant gowns on display.

The Sports Illustrated stunner showcased her incredible figure in a racy black cocktail dress that featured bold cut-outs across the torso. 

She had her brunette hair pulled back in a tight, sleek bun, and accessorised with some expensive diamond earrings. 

Jessica completed her look with a pain of pointed black heels with rhinestone straps.  

The beauty made sure that she worked the camera from every angle as she posed up a storm by the media wall.  

Australian supermodel Bambi Northwood-Blyth was the picture of simple elegance on the night.

The 32-year-old sparkled in a little black dress that featured floral diamond embellishments all over. 

She accessorised with some minimal diamond jewellery, including a necklace and a bracelet.  

Bringing some romance to the event was none other than Maria Thattil and her girlfriend Moana Hope.

The Miss Universe Australia 2020 flashed her abs in an oversized cream skirt and matching crop top. 

She added a pair of teardrop statement earrings and opted for a clean and bronzed makeup look with a plum lipstick.  

Her Australian Survivor star girlfriend Moana went for a more masculine look by donning a stylish pair of black trousers with a matching blazer and white top. 

Tony Armstrong and his girlfriend Rona Glynn-McDonald went for high glamour with Tony in a chic suit with a blazer that featured some glittering threads. 

Rona chose a show-stopping silver gown with a a long train which clung close to her physique.  

E-commerce queen Anastasia Fai Kogan stole the show in a dramatic rainbow swirl gown. 

The sleeveless number included a black bust, which she matched to her sheer, opera length gloves. 

Anastasia opted for a bronzed makeup look with a dark pink lipstick and wore her brunette locks partly swept off her face. 

She completed the glamorous ensemble with a smattering of gold accessories and drop earrings. 

Also turning heads was artist Agnieszka Pilat who glittered in a gold halterneck gown with cutouts that showed off a hint of skin.

She added a pair of cream patent heels in a pointed design and completed the ensemble paired with a fur shawl.

Aurelia St Clair also went the metallic route, choosing a daring dress that showed off lots of bust. 

The comedian and writer added to the look with futuristic earrings and a pair of black pointed heels. 

Emma Lewisham was classic in black, choosing a slinky number with a deep V-neck design that showed off some skin.

The skincare maven added a diamond choker and carried a small patent designer purse, finishing the look with open-toed heels. 

Society couple Jaimee Belle Kennedy and James Kennedy made it a date night, each opting for high fashion black ensembles. 

Jaimee stunned in a plunging silk gown which she paired with a dramatic feather boa, and she carried a mini Chanel purse. 

Chief executive of the Melbourne Fashion Festival Caroline Ralphsmith brought the drama in a stunning tulle gown in graduating tones of blue. 

She carried a designer purse and layered a number of punk-inspired bracelets while keeping her reading glasses on for a smart touch.  

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan brought along her husband Yorick Piper, and was looking chic in her black, fitted gown accessorised with a statement necklace. 

Philanthropist Krystyna Campbell-Pretty glistened in gold, choosing an old Hollywood style gown paired with ribbon heels. 

Author Kate Reid channelled the 1920’s in an intricately beaded art deco gown and a silver glittery purse, which matched her shoes. 

Described as the ‘undisputed crown jewel in the Australian cultural calendar’ by Vogue magazine, the NGV Gala has been running since 2017. 

The black-tie gala marks the opening of the the opening of the National Gallery of Victoria’s summer exhibition, featuring 75 projects by 100 artists.