Thomas Kingston, the husband of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent’s daughter Lady Gabriella Kingston, died from a “traumatic head wound” and a gun was found near to his body, an inquest has heard.
The 45-year-old financier died suddenly in an outbuilding at his parent’s home in the Cotswolds, an inquest opening at Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court heard.
Gloucestershire Police previously said officers were called to the scene by an ambulance crew just before 6.30pm and the death was not being treated as suspicious.
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, Mr Kingston’s parents, and siblings.
Lady Gabriella is the King’s second cousin. They are both great-grandchildren of King George V.
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.
Mr Kingston was a close friend of Pippa Matthews – the Princess of Wales‘s sister – and the pair were reported to have dated in 2011.
He was director of Devonport Capital, which specialises in providing finance for companies in “frontier economies”.
He had also worked in Baghdad, Iraq, to help obtain the release of hostages after joining the diplomatic missions unit of the foreign office.
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.