The inquest into the death of Thomas Kingston, the husband of Lady Gabriella Kingston, daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, revealed distressing details of his passing.
Thomas Kingston was found dead at his parents' Cotswolds home last week with a "traumatic head wound," and a gun was discovered near his body.
The senior coroner, Katy Skerrett, opened the inquest at Gloucestershire coroner's court on Friday, sharing preliminary information about the circumstances surrounding Kingston's tragic demise.
According to Skerrett, Kingston was visiting his parents in the Cotswolds when the incident occurred.
On February 25, 2024, he had lunch with his parents, and after his father walked the dogs, he returned to find Kingston absent from the house.
Approximately 30 minutes later, Kingston's mother began searching for him, prompting his father to enter a locked outbuilding.
There, he discovered Kingston with a severe head injury and a gun present at the scene. Emergency services were called shortly before 6:30 p.m.
However, despite their efforts, Kingston was pronounced deceased. The police concluded that the death was not suspicious.
A postmortem conducted by Dr Jones, a consultant histopathologist, determined the provisional cause of death as a "traumatic wound to the head."
The coroner expressed satisfaction with the identification, initial cause of death, and the brief circumstances surrounding the incident. The proceedings were adjourned to a later date.
Thomas Kingston, a financier, married Gabriella at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in 2019, with Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh among the attendees.
Thomas Kingston was a director at Devonport Capital, a company providing finance for businesses in "frontier economies."
Additionally, he had worked in the diplomatic missions unit of the Foreign Office, assisting in the release of hostages in Baghdad, Iraq.
The couple received condolences from the king and queen, with a Buckingham Palace spokesperson stating that their majesties were informed of Thomas's death and extended heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the Kingston family.
In a joint statement, Gabriella and Thomas's family described him as an "exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him."
His death came as a great shock to the entire family, prompting a request for privacy as they mourned his passing.
The University of Bristol graduate, also known for his diplomatic efforts, was a director of Devonport Capital, specializing in finance for companies in "frontier economies."
He had previously worked in Baghdad, Iraq, with the Foreign Office's diplomatic missions unit.
While in Iraq, Kingston drew inspiration from his Christian faith and dedicated extensive efforts to assist Christian Iraqis in reconstructing their lives.
Stationed at St George's, Baghdad, the sole Anglican church in Iraq situated in a former palace of Saddam Hussein, Kingston played a pivotal role in supporting the community.
Thomas is also known to be the ex-boyfriend of Pippa Middleton.
In 2011, he was romantically linked with the younger sister of the Princess of Wales and maintained a close relationship with the Middleton family.
He attended the wedding of Pippa Middleton to James Matthews in 2017 along with Lady Gabriella.
While Gabriella is not a working member of the royal family, the royal household is offering support to both her and the Kingston family during this difficult time.
No details regarding funeral arrangements have been disclosed.
The tragic incident has cast a shadow over the extended royal family, prompting reflections on the untimely loss of a beloved member.
Reverend Canon Andrew White, who headed the sole Anglican church in Iraq, described Thomas Kingston as "one of the most remarkable individuals I have ever collaborated with."
White acknowledged that they had experienced perilous situations together, including a bombing incident in 2004.
Reflecting on Kingston's contributions, White emphasized his deep faith and wisdom, expressing confidence that Kingston is now in a place of eternal peace.
