From surviving suicide bombing to marrying into Royal Family: Thomas Kingston's extraordinary life explored

Thomas Kingston, financier and husband to Lady Gabriella Windsor, passed away on Sunday evening, February 25. The BBC reported that Kingston, 45, was found dead at an address in Gloucestershire, with the emergency services being called at around 6:25 PM.

A statement released on behalf of Kingston's wife, Gabriella, and the Kingston family, at his death shared how he was "an exceptional man" and that the news of his death "came as a shock to the whole family."

Here's the complete statement:

"It is with the deepest sorrow that we announce the death of Thomas Kingston, our beloved husband, son and brother. Tom was an exceptional man who lit up the lives of all those who knew him. His death has come as a great shock to the whole family and we ask you to respect our privacy as we mourn his passing."

According to the news outlet, the Gloucestershire Police force stated that the death of Kingston was "not being treated as suspicious."

Before his sudden death, Kingston has reported having led an "incredible" life, from serving in rescue missions of war-torn countries to entering the Royal Family after dating Lady Gabriella for over five years.

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Thomas Kingston nearly escaped a suicide bombing in Baghdad

Thomas Henry Robin Kingston was a British financier born on June 22, 1978, to William Martin Kingston – a lawyer – and Jill Mary Kingston. According to the Independent UK, Thomas completed his bachelor's degree in economic history from Bristol University, with his professional career being broadly focused on finance.

The news outlet also reported that Kingston worked in foreign offices in the formative years of his career. In 2003, he became a "Government-sponsored conflict resolution project" project manager in Iraq.

According to the Daily Mail, his time in the war-torn Iraq was significantly "action-packed," where he served in the diplomatic missions unit of the Foreign Office in Baghdad. The media outlet also reported that Kingston had "countless brushes with death" in Baghdad, including "escaping a suicide bombing that claimed 22 lives."

Reverend Canon Andrew White, who met Thomas Kingston during his time in Baghdad, shared with the Daily Mail's Richard Kay in 2019:

"Tom is an individual with a very strong faith. It was that faith and commitment which led to us working together in Iraq, where we survived some close scrapes. They were a daily occurrence."

White also shared how both Tom and he were in the Anglican Church when it was targeted in a suicide bomb attack in 2004.

Following the mission in Baghdad, Kingston returned to the UK to join Schroder's – a private bank – followed by his decision to assume the role of the Director at Devonport Capital Management in 2017. At Devonport, Kingston helped find investment for "frontier economies" and those undergoing post-war reconstruction.

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Thomas Kingston proposed Lady Gabriella Windsor for marriage in 2018

The Wedding Of Lady Gabriella Windsor And Mr Thomas Kingston, 2019 (Image via. Getty/Andrew Parsons)

According to The Sun, Thomas Kingston and Lady Gabriella first met each other – reportedly through mutual friends – in 2014, "sparking an unbreakable bond" almost instantly. Three years before meeting Gabriella – the daughter of the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent – Kingston had briefly dated Pippa Middleton – the younger sister of Kate Middleton.

After the two started dating, Thomas and Gabriella were also invited to Pippa's wedding to James Matthews in 2017, The Sun reported.

According to the news outlet, the couple announced their wedding in September 2018, after Thomas popped the question while on a holiday in the Isle of Sark.

They married in May 2019 in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Theirs was the third Royal Wedding in a year, The Sun reported. Queen Elizabeth II also attended the royal wedding alongside the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of Sussex.

Following Thomas' untimely death, King Charles and Camilla have also released a statement to pay their tributes, saying that they join “Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and all those who knew him in grieving a much-loved member of the family.”

While the cause of Thomas Kingston's death remains undisclosed at the moment, BBC has confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding it, and no one else was involved.