The service occurred at the Chapel Royal in St James’s, London, followed by a reception at St James’s Palace. The funeral procession departed from the chapel of Kensington Palace, accompanied by close family members.
Among the 140 attendees were members of the royal family, offering their support to Lady Gabriella Kingston, Thomas’s widow, and his family, including the Prince of Wales and Lady Gabriella’s parents, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, as well as the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra.
Led by the Sub-Dean of the Chapels Royal, Reverend Canon Paul Wright, the one-hour service featured a sermon by the former Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Richard Chartres. Following the funeral, a private cremation took place, with plans for a larger memorial service in honor of Thomas to be arranged in due time.
The absence of the King, aged 75, was noted as he is currently undergoing cancer treatment. Meanwhile, the Queen, aged 76, hosted a reception to commemorate International Women’s Day, marking the conclusion of the WOW Girls Festival Bus tour.
Thomas was discovered deceased at his parents’ residence in the Cotswolds on February 25th. A subsequent inquiry at Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court on March 1st determined that the financier’s cause of death was a “catastrophic head injury,” with a firearm found near his body.
During the hearing, Katy Skerrett, senior coroner for Gloucestershire, outlined the circumstances of Thomas’ death, 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 the head.”
In a joint statement released on February 27, Lady Gabriella, along with Thomas’s family, paid homage to her husband, depicting him as an “exceptional man who brought joy to the lives of all who knew him.” They expressed profound shock at his passing, describing it as a devastating blow to the entire family.
The King and Queen conveyed their deepest sympathies and prayers to Lady Gabriella, affectionately known as Ella, as well as to Thomas’s parents and siblings.
Lady Gabriella and Thomas exchanged vows at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 18, 2019. Their last public appearance together was on Valentine’s Day, attending a gala hosted by Queen Camilla to celebrate the legacy of William Shakespeare.
Thomas is survived by his father, former barrister Martin Kingston, his mother, Jill Kingston, and his sisters, Joanna Connolly and Emma Murray.
Despite Lady Gabriella not being an active member of the royal family, both she and Thomas’s family are receiving support from the royal household.
Prince William is Lady Gabriella’s second cousin once removed, and they were both godchildren of the late King Constantine of Greece.
