At the beginning of this year, the British royal family hit a rough patch: Charles and Kate were both diagnosed with cancer. Meanwhile, as if it wasn’t bad enough, the sudden death of a member known as the “most handsome royal son-in-law” was announced, and it was a suicide at the age of 45…
Initial Report
The deceased son-in-law was named Thomas Kingston, whose wife was Lady Gabriella Windsor. She’s referred to as “Lady” because she is Charles’s cousin, aged 43 this year. 
Although she is much younger than Charles, her lineage is impressive: her grandfather was Prince George, Duke of Kent, who was the brother of Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI; her godfather was King Constantine II of Greece; her mother had four different nationalities, with an ancient family bloodline shared with the Queen…
The intricacies of European royal relationships can be confusing, but what’s important is that they are all part of the extended royal family with a formidable background, making Kingston a natural fit for the title of royal son-in-law.
Kingston and Lady Gabriella
The Sudden Death
Kingston’s death can be described in one word: sudden.
According to the initial reports, on the day of the incident, Kingston went back to his parents’ home for lunch. After eating, his father went out to walk the dog, and upon returning, he couldn’t find Kingston. Thirty minutes later, Kingston’s mother searched the house but found no sign of him.
They eventually checked the detached garage next to the house, where they found the door locked from the inside. Sensing something was wrong, his father forced the door open, only to discover Kingston’s body.
A shotgun was found beside him, with the British media describing it as having “caused severe injury to his head.” The scene was reportedly gruesome, leaving his elderly parents in a pitiful state…
Kingston before his death
By the time the police and paramedics arrived, he was beyond help. The police quickly concluded there was no foul play, and the post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as “head trauma,” which is to say, he shot himself.
The question remains: why did Kingston choose to take his own life? On the surface, he was successful in his career, had a happy family, and enjoyed a prominent status, showing no signs of mental health issues.
Even without his royal connection, Kingston was a true elite. Career-wise, he graduated from the prestigious University of Bristol, worked for the British Foreign Office, and later moved into the financial sector, eventually becoming a director.
In terms of family, Kingston had connections with the royal family from early on. In 2011, he dated Kate’s sister, Pippa, for a while, but they eventually broke up. He later married Lady Gabriella, with the Queen and Prince Philip even attending their wedding in 2019…
Wedding photo with the Queen beside the bride
From the outside, their married life seemed without fault, with the couple often appearing together. Their last joint public appearance was at an event on Valentine’s Day this year.
Astonishingly, just 11 days after that event, Kingston took his own life without any warning signs, making it an utterly unexpected tragedy.
The couple’s last public appearance
Lady Gabriella, citing the need for privacy, did not disclose why Kingston took his life. A private funeral was held for him by the royal family a few weeks later, with media not allowed to take photos, only reporting that Prince William attended.
Prince William at the funeral
Lady Gabriella did not hold a royal position, so she was rarely in the news, and the matter gradually faded from public attention. However, recent days brought the results of Kingston’s death investigation.
Lady Gabriella indicated that her husband’s death might have been triggered by an adverse reaction to medication.
Investigators learned that Kingston initially sought medical help due to work-related sleep difficulties. The royal doctor prescribed him sertraline (an antidepressant/anxiolytic) and zopiclone (a sleeping pill).
Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), commonly used to treat depression and anxiety.
Illustration of sertraline
However, the following month, Kingston returned to the hospital, stating that these medications seemed ineffective and even made him more anxious. His doctor then switched him to a stronger SSRI, citalopram, and changed his sleeping pill to diazepam.
It’s important to note that with prescription drugs like these, starting, increasing, decreasing, or stopping medication should always be done under medical supervision. The problem arose when Kingston decided to stop taking his medication a few days before his death, which could have led to a drastic change in his mood, resulting in an impulsive act…
Currently, it’s unclear whether Kingston’s death was directly due to stopping the medication or if he never adapted to SSRIs from the start.
The autopsy showed only caffeine and a small amount of zopiclone in his blood and urine, with no SSRI. Experts note that even if SSRIs have been metabolized, they can still “continue to influence a person’s thinking,” making it difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of death.
The investigation has reached a point where it can almost be closed.
In a statement, Lady Gabriella said, “Work was indeed a big challenge for him over the years, but I seriously doubt it would have led him to suicide, especially since he seemed to be doing much better recently.”
The couple at Wimbledon in 2019
“If something was troubling him, I’m sure he would have told us. And he passed away at his beloved parents’ home, which suggests his choice was an impulsive one.”
“Given the lack of evidence that he had any suicidal tendencies, I believe he might have had an adverse reaction to the medication, leading to his suicide.”
This view was affirmed by the coroner, who stated in court that Kingston’s wife, family, and business associates all confirmed he had no intention of taking his own life. The court learned that Kingston had previously said, “Suicide is a very selfish act because it affects family and friends,” making him even less likely to take such an action.
Kingston chatting with Camilla in June last year
Kingston underwent foot surgery in 2012, which unfortunately failed, leaving him occasionally needing assistance when climbing stairs. He was on pain medication for over a decade, but he showed resilience and was not easily defeated.
Even the day before his death, he attended his niece’s birthday party, appearing “as cheerful as usual,” enjoying a relaxed dinner with his parents, and showing off his new pajamas.
According to Kingston’s father, he returned to his parents’ home that day to return the gun. Both father and son had firearms licenses, and Kingston had borrowed the gun for a weekend hunt. He was supposed to return it that day, but in a sudden moment of impulse, he used it to end his life… “It was almost like a switch flipped in his mind, and this decision was made within minutes, clearly influenced by the gun he brought back to us.” his father said.
He did not search for “suicide” online before his death, left no will, and not even a note to explain his actions. Everything seemed so rough, out of character for him.
Charles and Camilla with Kingston and Lady Gabriella
A typical planned suicide often involves arranging everything beforehand, followed by a sudden sense of relief. Kingston’s death did not fit this description at all.
The conclusion is now clear. In court, the psychiatric expert providing evidence stated: Kingston had been complaining that sertraline was exacerbating his anxiety, indicating that SSRIs were not suitable for him. Yet, the doctor later prescribed another SSRI, citalopram.
The expert wasn’t blaming the doctor for prescribing the wrong medication but pointed the finger at the drug manufacturers: the instructions for these medications are too vague, not clearly explaining side effects, the impact of switching medications, etc.
“We need a more explicit set of instructions to inform us that these medications can lead to suicide in individuals who would not have otherwise considered it,” the expert concluded.
Kingston and his wife
Similarly, Lady Gabriella and Kingston’s family have indicated they do not blame the doctor, but they believe that drug manufacturers might not have provided doctors with enough guidance and information.
“I believe (the pharmaceutical companies) need to provide more knowledge about side effects to all those taking these medications to prevent such tragedies from happening again. If this could happen to my husband, it could happen to anyone,” Lady Gabriella said.
It’s truly a pity he was so young. Nowadays, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder are almost becoming “common diseases,” and SSRIs are the most commonly used antidepressants. It’s possible that someone close to you, or even yourself, is familiar with them.
As always: whether starting, increasing, decreasing, or stopping SSRIs, it should be done under medical supervision to avoid “discontinuation syndrome”…
Physical symptoms are the least of it; if someone like Kingston experiences a sudden mood swing and acts impulsively, the regret is unimaginable…
