Prince William’s friend’s cause of death revealed after taking common anti…
Thomas Kingston, the husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor, died from a shotgun wound which was found to be linked to negative reactions to medication, an inquest heard.
Kingston, who rubbed shoulders with royalty and was a pal of King Charles and his son Prince William, suffered a fatal head injury, with his lifeless body discovered alongside a firearm on February 25 at the family residence in the Cotswolds. The 45-year-old high-flying financier had tied the knot with Lady Gabriella in a grand ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in 2019, an event graced by the presence of the Queen and her consort, the Duke of Edinburgh.
During the Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court proceedings on Tuesday, the grieving Lady Gabriella, aged 43, underscored the urgent need for increased awareness of the potential dangers of drugs prescribed for mental health, stressing that ignorance could lead to further loss of life.
Revealing the findings, senior coroner Katy Skerrett delivered a narrative verdict, stating: “Mr Kingston took his own life using a shotgun which caused a severe traumatic wound to the head. The evidence of his wife, family and business partner all supports his lack of suicidal intent. He was suffering adverse effects of medication he had recently been prescribed.”
Reading a statement at the inquest, Ms Skerrett shared Lady Gabriella’s words: “(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 expressed her belief that his death was “likely provoked” by an adjustment to his medication. After suffering from insomnia attributed to work stress, Mr Kingston was initially prescribed Sertraline—an antidepressant—and Zopiclone, a sleep aid, which were dispensed by the Royal Mews Surgery, reports the Mirror.
Not feeling better, his doctor switched him from Sertraline to another SSRI, Citalopram. Lady Gabriella speculated, “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,” and emphasized the need for increased awareness about such medications’ side effects to prevent further tragedies, saying, “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.
