Thomas Kingston, the spouse of Lady Gabriella Windsor, ended his life in a moment of ‘impulsiveness’ after being prescribed a mix of antidepressants and sleeping pills, as revealed in an inquest.
The financier, aged 45, who joined the royal family through his union with Lady Gabriella in 2019, was discovered deceased at his parents’ residence on February 25 with a severe head injury and a firearm found close by.
The inquest conducted at Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court on Tuesday determined that he had experienced an adverse response to medication prescribed by a royal physician in the weeks leading up to his death.
Kingston, the son-in-law of Prince Michael of Kent, had been administered sertraline, a substance utilized for depression, and zopiclone, a sleep aid, by a general practitioner after he reported sleep disturbances stemming from work-related stress.
After ceasing the sertraline due to feeling ‘significantly anxious’, Kingston was subsequently prescribed diazepam and citalopram, and his sleep medication was increased.
He was found deceased shortly thereafter, with an adverse reaction to the medications believed to have instigated a ‘sudden impulse’ that drove him to take his own life.
Delivering a narrative conclusion, senior coroner Katy Skerrett stated: ‘Mr. Kingston took his own life … The testimonies from his wife, family, and business associates all affirm his absence of suicidal intent. He was experiencing adverse side effects from the medication prescribed to him recently.’
Presenting a statement on Lady Gabriella’s behalf, the coroner continued: ‘(Work) was admittedly a challenge for him over the years, but I seriously doubt it would have led him to take his own life, and it seemed to be significantly improved.
‘If there was anything weighing on him, I am certain he would have communicated that he was suffering acutely.
‘The fact that he took his life in the residence of his beloved parents indicates that the decision was made following a sudden impulse.’
Lady Gabriella, who was tearful throughout the proceeding, characterized their marriage as ‘deeply loving and trusting’ and mentioned that her husband had never conveyed any thoughts of suicide to her or anyone else before his demise.
‘I think it’s crucial for individuals taking such medications to be made more aware of the potential side effects to avert any future tragedies,’ she emphasized.
‘If this could occur to Tom, it could happen to anyone.’
Mr. Kingston’s father, William Martin Kingston, was overcome with emotion as he recounted discovering his son in the locked bathroom of a detached annexe, after using a crowbar to gain access.
The court was informed that both father and son were licensed firearm owners. Kingston’s body was discovered alongside one of his father’s guns, which he had borrowed for a weekend hunting excursion.
Kingston Sr mentioned to the coroner that there appeared to have been no indications of a search for suicide in the days preceding his son’s death and that no note or will was left behind.
He described the method as ‘very irregular,’ stating it was simply ‘out of character’.
Dr. David Healy, a psychiatric expert who provided evidence during the hearing, indicated that Kingston’s claims of continued anxiety from sertraline suggested that SSRIs ‘did not suit him’, and he should not have been prescribed the same treatment again.
‘We require a much more explicit statement indicating that these drugs can lead to suicidal actions in individuals who might not otherwise consider them,’ he asserted.
Speaking to the coroner, Martin Porter, counsel for the family, stated: ‘The family does not hold (his GP) Doctor Naunton Morgan to blame; she acted as a responsible physician should.
‘However, the question remains whether adequate guidance exists for physicians concerning SSRIs.’
Affectionately known as Tom by his friends and family, Kingston was a close companion of Pippa Middleton and attended her marriage to James Matthews in May 2017.
He also had a brief tenure at the Foreign Office, even traveling to Iraq to assist in the release of hostages.
Lady Gabriella, who holds the 56th position in the line of succession to the throne, characterized him as an ‘extraordinary individual who brightened the lives of everyone who knew him’.
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