An inquest will open on Friday into the death of Thomas Kingston, the husband of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent’s daughter Lady Gabriella Kingston, it has been announced.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court said senior coroner Katy Skerrett would conduct the hearing at 2pm.

The 45-year-old financier died suddenly at an address in the Cotswolds on Sunday 25 February, Buckingham Palace announced earlier this week.

Gloucestershire Police previously said officers were called to the scene by an ambulance crew just before 6.30pm.

“The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner,” a spokesperson for the force added.

No funeral plans have been publicly released so far.

Lady Gabriella and Mr Kingston’s family said in a joint statement that his death came as a “great shock” and described him as a “beloved husband, son and brother”.

They added: “Tom was an exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him.”

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

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, were among the guests at the couple’s wedding, at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, in 2019.

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”.

Read more:
Who was Thomas Kingston?
Thomas Kingston and Lady Gabriella’s ‘last photo’

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He had also worked in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, to help obtain the release of hostages after joining the diplomatic missions unit of the foreign office.

Mr Kingston was also a close friend of Pippa Matthews – the Princess of Wales‘s sister – and the pair were reported to have dated in 2011.

Lady Gabriella, who is not a working member of the royal family, is a writer and contributing editor who previously worked as an arts and travel director for a brand company.

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