Lady Gabriella Windsor, Thomas Kingston, died last month. A joint statement issued by his family 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.”
But what do you know of the financier?
Thomas and Gabriella’s Romance
Although it is not known exactly how Lady Gabriella and Thomas met, the financier mixed in royal circles for a number of years and the pair began dating in 2014. “I’m very happy to be with someone very special,” Lady Gabriella said after they had been dating for two years. “I’m very lucky.”
Buckingham Palace announced the news of the engagement the following month, with a statement from Gabriella’s parents which read: “Prince and Princess Michael of Kent are delighted to announce the engagement of their daughter Lady Gabriella Windsor to Mr Thomas Kingston. The engagement took place in August; Mr Kingston proposed on the Isle of Sark.”
Fairytale Wedding
They exchanged vows on May 18, 2019, with the ceremony held at St George’s Cathedral in Windsor Castle. Lady Gabriella donned a stunning total of four outfits for her wedding, and in an exclusive interview, she shared the happiness she experienced on her extraordinary day.
“It was a magical day and Luisa [Beccaria] created a wonderful dress for me,” she recalled. “This is the first time I’ve seen it since the wedding and it brings back so many happy memories.”
The late Queen attended the wedding, and a deeply moving moment occurred when Lady Gabriella knelt down to grasp the hand of her royal cousin. Other notable guests included Prince Harry, Princess Anne, and members of the Middleton family.
Thomas’s Career
As reported by The Telegraph, Thomas earned a bachelor’s degree in economic history from Bristol University before joining the Diplomatic Missions Unit of the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office. Spending nearly three years in Baghdad, he served as a project officer for the Iraqi Institute of Peace, contributing to conflict resolution and aiding in the release of hostages.
Transitioning to the financial sector, Thomas worked as an equity analyst for Schroders, a global asset management firm. Subsequently, he held the position of managing director at Voltan Capital Management until April 2017. At the time of his passing, Thomas served as a director of Devonport Capital, specializing in providing financial support to companies in “frontier economies.”
His First Public Appearance After Marriage
In 2022, nearly two years into their marriage, Thomas joined his royal in-laws at a memorial service for the late Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey. Subsequently, he attended his inaugural Trooping the Colour, an event held annually to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday.
At the National Service of Thanksgiving in St Paul’s Cathedral, part of the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebration in June 2022, Thomas was not only accompanied by his wife, Lady Gabriella, but also joined by his brother-in-law Lord Frederick Windsor and his wife Sophie.
How Did Thomas Die?
Mr Kingston was found deceased at an address in Gloucestershire on Sunday evening. Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 6pm.
He died from a “traumatic head wound” at his parents’ home in the Cotswolds, an inquest into the financier’s death revealed. Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court opened the inquest on Friday 1 March, five days after Thomas’ death.
Katy Skerrett, senior coroner for Gloucestershire, outlined the circumstances of the financier’s death in a short hearing at court, saying: “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 a 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.”
No members of the Kingston family were present although an official from the royal household attended.
Past Romances
Thomas was previously associated with Natalie Hicks-Lobbecke, who was part of the Beaufort Polo Club set and happened to be one of Prince William’s ex-girlfriends. In 2011, there were reports of Thomas dating Pippa Middleton, the sister of Princess Kate.
Despite their brief romantic involvement, the two have been photographed together on multiple occasions over the years, attending events like the Cheltenham races in March 2013 and engaging in low-key outings in central London. Lady Gabriella and Thomas were both in attendance as guests at Pippa’s wedding to James Matthews in 2017.
