Lady Gabriella Windsor's husband Thomas Kingston, 45, died from a 'traumatic head wound' and a gun was found near his body in outbuilding of his parents' Cotswolds home, inquest hears

The ex-financier died with a 'catastrophic' head injury, according to a coroner For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit www.thecalmzone.net/get-support 

Lady Gabriella Windsor’s husband Thomas Kingston died from a ‘traumatic head wound’ and a gun was found near his body in an outbuilding of his parents’ Cotswolds home, an inquest has heard.

Thomas Kingston, 45, was found at his family’s country mansion on Sunday evening and a post mortem has revealed the cause of death, Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court was today told.

His father found him on forcing entry to a locked building after Mr Kingston had earlier visited for lunch with his parents, senior coroner Katy Skerrett said.

Police and paramedics were called to the scene after a member of the family made a 999 call. Police said Mr Kingston’s death was not suspicious.

His widow Lady Windsor 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 called his death a ‘great shock to the whole family’.

Thomas Kingston, the husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor, shot himself, an inquest heard

The couple are pictured here at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in July 2019

Mr Kingston watched racing alongside Queen Camilla from the Royal Box at Ascot last June

A member of the press office from Buckingham Palace was present at the inquest but no family members nor those from the emergency services involved in the incident were at the court.

Buckingham Palace previously announced Mr Kingston, 45, died suddenly last Sunday at an address in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire.

Paramedics were called to the large, detached home at about 6pm.

Opening the inquest today at Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court, senior coroner Katy Skerrett said: ‘I can confirm I have received evidence of identification of the deceased in written format, which complies with Rule 23 of the Coroner’s Rules 2013.

‘That evidence is sufficient for identification, and I can thereby confirm the deceased is indeed Thomas Henry Robin Kingston, 45, whose home address is in London.

‘I have received evidence of the brief circumstances surrounding this tragic incident also in written format, which complies with Rule 23 of the Coroner’s Rules 2013.

‘These brief circumstances are as follows. Mr Kingston was visiting his parents’ home in the Cotswolds. On February 25 2024 he ate lunch with his parents. His father went out to walk the dogs.

‘On his return Mr Kingston was not in the house and after approximately 30 minutes his mother went to look for him. His father forced entry on a locked out building when no reply could be gained.

‘He found Mr Kingston deceased with a catastrophic head injury. A gun was present at the scene. Emergency services were called. Police are satisfied the death is not suspicious.

‘A post mortem has been undertaken by Dr Jones, a consultant histopathologist, and a provisional cause of death has been given as 1a traumatic wound to head.

‘Having been satisfied with identification, initial cause of death and the brief circumstances surrounding Mr Kingston’s death, I can formally open this inquest. I now adjourn it to a date to be fixed. That concludes the opening of the inquest into the death of Thomas Henry Robin Kingston.’

The King and Queen had sent their ‘most heartfelt thoughts and prayers’ to Lady Gabriella, who is known as Ella, and Mr Kingston’s parents and siblings.

A statement released on behalf of Lady Gabriella Kingston, Mr Martin and Mrs Jill Kingston, Mrs Joanna Connolly and Mrs Emma Murray, 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.’

Lady Gabriella released a personal photo she took of her husband, showing him smiling and dressed in a casual pink shirt as he stood near a stretch of water in the sunshine.

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

Lady Gabriella Kingston and Thomas Kingston at Nicky Haslam’s birthday party at The Polish Hearth Club, London, in November 2019

Kingston, pictured here on the day of his wedding to Lady Gabriella Windsor, lived a remarkable life

Lady Gabriella and Thomas Kingston had official photos taken on their wedding day – here with the late Queen and Prince Philip sat to the right of them

The death of Lady Gabriella Windsor’s husband Thomas Kingston (pictured together in 2019) was announced by Buckingham Palace

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: ‘The King and the Queen have been informed of Thomas’s death and join Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and all those who knew him in grieving a much-loved member of the family.

‘In particular, Their Majesties send their most heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Gabriella and to all the Kingston family.’

Lady Gabriella is the King’s second cousin. They are both great-grandchildren of King George V.

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

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

He was a close friend of Pippa Matthews – the Princess of Wales’s sister – and the pair were said to have dated in 2011.

Lady Gabriella, who has worked as an arts and travel director for a brand company, is a writer and contributing editor.

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

Although Lady Gabriella is not a working member of the royal family, she and Mr Kingston’s family are being supported by the royal household.

Friends of Thomas Kingston have been left shocked by his death as they told how he and Lady Gabriella were ‘happily married until the end’.

They were last pictured in public together on Valentine’s Day at an event to celebrate the works of William Shakespeare.

Lady Gabriella Windsor and Tom Kingston attending the Jerudong Trophy polo match at Cirencester Park Polo Club in June 2016

Kingston pictured alongside Lady Gabriella Windsor at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022

Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston are pictured at Royal Ascot in June last year

The couple are seen here at the Jungle Part at Annabel’s in London in September 2018

Their wedding was in Windsor on May 18, 2019

Thomas Kingston was close friends with Pippa Middleton, the Princess of Wales’ sister. They are pictured here at Cheltenham Festival in 2013

No funeral plans have been released so far.

Lady Gabriella’s parents Prince and Princess Michael of Kent attended a service for the late King Constantine II of Greece on Tuesday in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

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

The Prince of Wales, also a godchild of the former Greek monarch, pulled out of attending at the last minute, but his absence was because of a personal matter and was understood not to be connected to news of Mr Kingston’s death.

• For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support