Princess Michael of Kent has paid a touching tribute to her late son-in-law Thomas Kingston after he took his own life.
The royal said the 45-year-old, who died at the home of his beloved parents in the Cotswolds on February 25, was ‘a lovely man, so kind and so thoughtful’.
The Princess added that none of the royal family ‘ever had an inkling anything was wrong’ and admitted she is still unsure how best to help her daughter following her husband’s tragic death.
She told Majesty magazine: ‘Tom was a lovely man, so kind and so thoughtful. They were very happy together.
‘We often had them here with Freddie and Sophie and the girls for Sunday lunch. We never had an inkling anything was wrong.’
Financier Thomas married Lady Gabriella at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, in 2019 with the Queen and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh among the guests.
At an inquest in her husband’s death, Lady Gabriella, 43, said people need to be warned about the effects of medications used to treat mental health conditions or more people could die.
Thomas had initially been given Sertraline – an anti-depressant – and Zopiclone, a sleeping tablet, by a GP at the Royal Mews Surgery – a practice used by royal household staff – after complaining of trouble sleeping following stress at work.
Princess Michael of Kent (pictured) has paid a touching tribute to her late son-in-law Thomas Kingston after he took his own life
Thomas Kingston (left) died from a head injury caused by a gunshot wound, a coroner has found
Mr Kingston (pictured), the husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor, took his life following an adverse effect to prescribed medication, an inquest heard
In a statement read out at the inquest by senior coroner Katy Skerrett, Lady Gabriella said: ‘(Work) was certainly a challenge for him over the years but I highly doubt it would have led him to take his own life, and it seemed much improved.
‘If anything had been troubling him, I’m positive that he would have shared that he was struggling severely. The fact that he took his life at the home of his beloved parents suggests the decision was the result of a sudden impulse.’
She said she believed his death was ‘likely provoked’ by an adverse reaction to the medication he had begun, and subsequently stopped taking, in the weeks leading up to his death.
Mr Kingston complained the medication was not making him feel better and his doctor moved him off Sertraline to Citalopram, another selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used as an anti-depressant.
‘The lack of any evidence of inclination it seems highly likely to me that he had an adverse reaction to the pills that led him to take his life,’ Lady Gabriella said.
‘I believe anyone taking pills such as these need to be made more aware of the side effects to prevent any future deaths.
‘If this could happen to Tom, this could happen to anyone.’
In the days leading up to his death, Mr Kingston had stopped taking medication, and toxicology tests showed caffeine and small amounts of zopiclone in his system.
Mr Kingston watched the racing alongside Queen Camilla from the Royal Box at Ascot in June 2023
The couple are pictured here at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in July 2019
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
Thomas Kingston and Lady Gabriella Kingston court side on day two of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships last year
Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston watch the racing from the Royal Box as they attend day 5 of Royal Ascot 2023
In his final weeks, Lady Gabriella said, her husband had ‘seemed normal’, apart from early in the day after previously taking zopiclone, which she said made him seem ‘almost hungover’.
In her statement, she described their marriage as ‘deeply loving and trusting’ and said he had never expressed any suicidal thoughts to her or others.
She added that he had been deeply affected by the suicide of a friend and the ‘devastating impact it had on other people’s loved ones’.
Lady Gabriella cried while she sat in the coroner’s court as her statement was read out.
Mr Kingston’s father, William Martin Kingston, broke down in tears as he described finding his son in the locked bathroom of a detached annexe, having used a crowbar to break down the door.
He told the court his son had always had a strong, resilient character, having previously suffered from a pain condition which left him needing help to get up the stairs.
Mr Kingston added that leading up to his son’s death there did not appear to have been any searches for suicide, and no will or note was left, describing the method as ‘very ragged’ which was simply ‘out of character’.
For free, confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit www.thecalmzone.net/get-support
