Thomas Kingston had lunch with his parents during a visit to their Cotswold home just moments before he was found dead at the £3million mansion.
Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court heard today that Mr Kingston, the husband of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent’s daughter Lady Gabriella Kingston, died as a result of a “traumatic head wound”.
Alongside his body, a gun was found near to his body in an outbuilding at his parent’s home, the opening of the inquest was told.
The coroner’s court was told that just moments before his death, Mr Kingston had a lunch with his family at their home on February 25, 2024.
Senior coroner Katy Skerrett told the court that the 45-year-old, who lived in London, had been involved in a “tragic incident” that resulted in his death.
She said: “These brief circumstances are as follows. Mr Kingston was visiting his parents’ home in the Cotswolds. On February 25 2024 he ate lunch with his parents. His father went out to walk the dogs.
“On his return Mr Kingston was not in the house and after approximately 30 minutes his mother went to look for him. His father forced entry on a locked out building when no reply could be gained.
“He found Mr Kingston deceased with a catastrophic head injury. A gun was present at the scene. Emergency services were called. Police are satisfied the death is not suspicious.”
She added: “A post mortem has been undertaken by Dr Jones, a consultant histopathologist, and a provisional cause of death has been given as 1a traumatic wound to head.
“Having been satisfied with identification, initial cause of death and the brief circumstances surrounding Mr Kingston’s death, I can formally open this inquest. I now adjourn it to a date to be fixed. That concludes the opening of the inquest into the death of Thomas Henry Robin Kingston.”
In her statement opening the inquest, Ms Skerrett added: “I can confirm I have received evidence of identification of the deceased in written format, which complies with Rule 23 of the Coroner’s Rules 2013. That evidence is sufficient for identification, and I can thereby confirm the deceased is indeed Thomas Henry Robin Kingston, 45, whose home address is in London.
“I have received evidence of the brief circumstances surrounding this tragic incident also in written format, which complies with Rule 23 of the Coroner’s Rules 2013.”
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