A royal who took his own life in 2024 was the co-owner and director of a company that owed millions at the time of his death. Thomas Kingston lived an extraordinary life, working on hostage release operations during the Iraq war after leaving university, before becoming a financier.
The state-educated frontier market investment specialist, 45, then joined Britain’s most prestigious family in 2019, through his marriage to Lady Gabriella Windsor, the only daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. But tragedy struck on February 25, 2024 when Mr Kingston was found lifeless after dying from self-inflicted shotgun wound at his parents’ home in The Cotswolds. A coroner found that he died after suffering an adverse effect to medication prescribed by his doctor.
After his death, it was reported that his firm, Devonport Capital Limited, owed £27.9million after plunging into debt. Forensic accountants have now established in a report seen by MailOnline that the final residual amount left to pay back creditors was £19.8million, meaning the company was short of £8.1million for creditors.
Mr Kingston had invested £1.6million of his own money into the firm before his passing. His dad Martin Kingston, a barrister, had also helped try support the firm, and is one of several creditors. He is owed £162,000.
The lack of remaining funds means creditors will get repayments at a rate of 71% of the sum owed.
Devonport Capital had been in administration as insolvency practitioners sought to settle its debts, before going into liquidation.
An inquest was told Mr Kingston had initially been given sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used to treat depression.
He was also prescribed zopiclone after complaining of trouble sleeping following stress at work. He later moved from sertraline to citalopram, a similar drug, after telling his doctor the former wasn’t making him feel better.
Mr Kingston stopped taking medication in the days leading up to his death, the inquest heard.
Lady Gabriella told the inquest: “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.”
Recording a narrative conclusion, Katy Skerrett, senior coroner for Gloucestershire, said: “Mr Kingston took his own life using a shotgun which caused a severe traumatic wound to the head.
“The evidence of his wife, family and business partner all supports his lack of suicidal intent. He was suffering adverse effects of medication he had recently been prescribed.”
**Whatever you’re going through, you can call the Samaritans free at any time from any phone on 116 123. Lines are open 24 hours a day. You can also email **jo@samaritans.org