Thomas Kingston, husband of Lady Gabriella, passed away under tragic circumstances one year ago. Known to friends and family as a "joyful, giving, full of life and caring person," his untimely death left a profound void in the lives of those who knew him. On 25 February 2024, Thomas was found with a catastrophic head injury at his parents' home in the Cotswolds, where a gun was discovered near his body. He was 45 years old.
The couple wed at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in 2019, marking a union celebrated by many. However, in the days leading up to his death, Thomas had ceased taking his prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), medications typically used to treat depression. His parents, Jill and Martin Kingston, have since called for a reevaluation of how SSRIs are prescribed, hoping to prevent similar tragedies.
Thomas initially received sertraline, an antidepressant, and zopiclone, a sleeping tablet, from his general practitioner. Lady Gabriella, in her witness statement, highlighted the potential dangers associated with drugs designed to treat mental health issues. She stressed that there were no signs he might take such a drastic step.
"If anything had been troubling him, I'm positive that he would have shared that he was struggling severely." – Lady Gabriella
In December, senior coroner for Gloucestershire, Katy Skerrett, ruled Thomas' death a suicide. She noted that the adverse effects of the medication he had been prescribed likely influenced his actions.
"He was suffering adverse effects of medication he had recently been prescribed." – Katy Skerrett, senior coroner for Gloucestershire
Thomas' struggle with work-related stress and sleep disturbances compounded the challenges he faced. The absence of any prior indications of suicidal tendencies suggested that his decision was impulsive and driven by an adverse reaction to the medication.
"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
Thomas’ funeral took place at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace in London on 12 March 2024. The ceremony was attended by notable figures including the Prince of Wales and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. His father, Martin Kingston, expressed a desire for Thomas to be remembered for his vibrant personality.
"I would like him to be remembered as someone with a big smile on his face." – Martin
Posthumously, Martin and Jill Kingston have become advocates for changes in the prescription practices of SSRIs. They emphasize the necessity of greater awareness about the potential side effects of these medications.
"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." – Martin
The loss of Thomas resonated deeply within his community. Many shared memories and stories about him that revealed facets of his life previously unknown to his family.
"So many of them told us things that we never knew." – Martin
