The Royal Family was hit by heartbreak after Rosie Roche, a 20-year-old cousin of Princes William and Harry, was found dead at her family home in Norton, Wiltshire.
Rosie, a student of English Literature at Durham University, was reportedly packing for a holiday with friends when her mother and sister made the devastating discovery on July 14. A firearm was found nearby.
Who was Rosie Roche?
Rosie Jeanne Burke Roche, born on June 21, 2005, was closely connected to the British aristocracy. She was the granddaughter of the late Edmund Roche, 5th Baron Fermoy — Princess Diana’s uncle — making her a cousin to William and Harry.
She was the daughter of Edmund (Hugh) Burke Roche and Pippa Long, with family ties to the Spencer-Roche line, a noble branch steeped in royal tradition.
An inquest into her death was opened at the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner’s court and adjourned until October 2025. Area coroner Grant Davies confirmed that police have deemed the death non-suspicious and ruled out any third-party involvement.
An obituary in the Yorkshire Post read: “Roche, Rosie Jeanne Burke. Died on Monday 14th July 2025. Darling daughter of Hugh and Pippa, incredible sister to Archie and Agatha, Granddaughter to Derek and Rae Long. Private family funeral. A memorial service will be held at a later date.”
Recent Royal tragedy
Rosie’s tragic death follows the loss of another royal connection, Thomas Kingston, husband to Lady Gabriella Windsor, who died in February 2024. A firearm was also discovered near Mr Kingston’s body, and an inquest confirmed he died of a “traumatic head wound.”
Mr Kingston, a 45-year-old financier, was found in an outbuilding at his parents’ home in the Cotswolds. Police stated there were no suspicious circumstances.
Earlier this year, an inquest heard he had been prescribed several medications for depression after suffering from stress-induced insomnia. He reportedly stopped taking the drugs in the days before his death.
Friends told The Times that Mr Kingston and Lady Gabriella had shown no signs of strain, either emotionally or financially. The couple had been seen together at a Valentine’s Day Shakespeare event and later at the National Gallery, with friends describing them as “happy and positive as ever.”