Inside love story of Lady Gabriella Windsor & Thomas Kingston including lavish wedding where they cut cake with a sword
LADY Gabriella and Thomas Kingston sparked an unbreakable bond when they met in 2014 – and later tied the knot in a lavish royal ceremony.
The pair announced their engagement in 2018 and walked down the aisle together at St George’s Chapel in 2019.
Thomas’ wife, Lady Gabriella Windsor, is the daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
Thomas had previously dated Pippa Middleton back in 2011, after she split from cricketer Alex Loudon.
The pair met through mutual friends, and although their relationship was brief, they continued to speak highly of each other.
Thomas and Lady Gabriella were even later invited to Pippa’s wedding to James Matthews in 2017.
A friend of Pippa’s previously told the Daily Mail: “Tom is utterly charming, polite and very popular with the ladies.
“In fact, he is just the kind of guy you would want to introduce to your mother.”
Lady Gabriella and Thomas sparked a relationship when they met in 2014, it is suspected through mutual friends – although it has never been confirmed.
By September 2018, it was announced they were engaged after Thomas popped the question while they were holidaying on the island of Sark.
The couple married on Saturday, May 18, 2019 in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
It was the third royal wedding in the space of a year.
Lady Gabriella stunned in a lace gown by Italian designer Luisa Beccaria and arrived at the chapel in a claret coloured vintage car.
The Queen led the royal family at the wedding and was joined by the Duke of Sussex, and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Photographs inside the reception party revealed Lady Gabriella cutting her glorious eight-tier wedding cake with a sword.
The cake was made by Fiona Cairns – who also created the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding cake – and offered guests a selection of mouthwatering choices: Fruit cake, Victoria sponge and Limoncello sponge.
Fiona shared on her Instagram: “The beautiful bride Lady Gabriella Windsor and her husband Mr Tom Kingston cutting their Fiona Cairns wedding cake at Frogmore House yesterday.
“We were so honoured to make this royal wedding cake and be part of such a special day!”
Lady Gabriella also broke away from tradition and delivered her own speech.
She beamed: “Thank you so much for making all of this possible, both at beautiful St George’s Chapel and here at Frogmore – a place so filled with charm and history throughout the house and its enchanted gardens.
“It is particularly meaningful to me as my grandparents, who I never had a chance to meet, are buried here.”
Lady Gabriella was also spotted engaged in an intimate one-to-one chat with the late Queen.
Celebrity guests included Pippa Middleton and ballet dancer Fernando Montaño, who penned on social media: “It was great to see my dear friend so happy and beautiful on her special day!”
It was the third royal wedding in the 15th century venue in less than a year following Harry and Meghan’s wedding, as well as Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank.
The Duke of Sussex, who was without Meghan Markle, arrived at the ceremony with Peep Show actress Sophie Winkleman, who is married to Lord Frederick Windsor, along with his uncle Prince Edward and aunt Princess Anne.
Prince Andrew arrived with his ex-wife Sarah, the Duchess of York, and their daughter Princess Beatrice and her boyfriend Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
TRAGEDY
It comes after the sad news of Thomas’ passing at the age of 45 was announced this evening.
A heart-wrenching statement on behalf of Lady Gabriella Kingston, Mr Martin and Mrs Jill Kingston, Mrs Joanna Connolly and Mrs Emma Murray read: “It is with the deepest sorrow that we announce the death of Thomas Kingston, our beloved husband, son and brother.
“Tom was an exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him.
“His death has come as a great shock to the whole family and we ask you to respect our privacy as we mourn his passing.”
A Palace spokesperson confirmed his death: “It is with the deepest sorrow that we announce the death of Thomas Kingston, our beloved husband, son and brother.
“Tom was an exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him. His death has come as a great shock to the whole family and we ask you to respect our privacy as we mourn his passing.”
King Charles and Camilla have now also paid tribute.
Their statement reads: “The King and The Queen have been informed of Thomas’s death and join Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and all those who knew him in grieving a much-loved member of the family.
“In particular, Their Majesties send their most heartfelt thoughts
and prayers to Gabriella and to all the Kingston family.”
Who was Thomas Kingston?
Thomas worked in frontier market investment, and was the director of Devonport Capital.
He was once described as “the most eligible man in London”.
Thomas graduated from the University of Bristol with a bachelor’s degree in economic history, according to The Telegraph.
He worked in the Diplomatic Missions Unit of the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office, and for almost three years worked in Baghdad as a project officer for the Iraqi Institute of Peace.
Thomas then moved into finance, working as an equity analyst for global asset management firm Schroders.
He was managing director of Voltan Capital Management until April 2017.
Who is Lady Gabriella Kingston?
Lady Gabriella Kingston is the daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
Her full name was Lady Gabriella Marina Alexandra Ophelia Windsor, but she is known as Ella.
She is the younger sister of Lord Frederick Windsor, who is married to Claudia Winkleman’s half-sister and actress, Sophie Winkleman.
Born on April 23, 1981, she grew up in an apartment in Kensington Palace.
She was educated at Godstowe and Downe House School in Cold Ash, Berkshire, before graduating from Brown University with a degree in Comparative Literature and Hispanic studies.
In 2012, she earned an MPhil degree in Social Anthropology from Linacre College, Oxford.
She works as a writer and has appeared in the Sunday Telegraph, the Evening Standard, Country Life and The Spectator.
