Prince William attended the personal funeral of his cousin Gabriella Kingston’s husband, Thomas Kingston, on Tuesday.
The royal family gathered to pay tribute to Kingston, who died on February 25 at the age of 45.
More than 100 family and friends gathered for the in-person service at the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace in London.
King Charles was not present as he continues to face a lower profile as he battles cancer. Queen Camilla also did not attend as she had prior commitments to host a reception at Buckingham Palace.
The hour-long service was followed by a cremation.
Gabriella, who married Kingston in 2019, was accompanied by her parents, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and Kingston’s family.
Kingston was 45 when he was found with a “catastrophic head injury” at his parents’ home in the Cotswolds.
Royalty’s unmissable extra protection:
An inquest later confirmed he had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Buckingham Palace announced the financier’s death on February 27.
“The King and Queen have learned of Thomas’ death and join Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and all those who knew him in mourning a much-loved member of the family,” an official statement read.
“Specifically, Their Majesties send their most sincere thoughts and prayers to Gabriella and the entire Kingston family.”
The Kingston family also released a statement mourning the loss of “a unique man who brightened the lives of all who knew him.”
Before getting married, Kingston dated Kate Middleton’s younger sister Pippa, 40, who is now married to James Matthews.
Although the two ended their romance in 2011, they remained close friends.
William’s take on the funeral comes amid a tsunami of damaging press surrounding a photograph released by the Prince and Princess of Wales, which was later revealed to have been edited.
The image emerged more than two months after Middleton underwent abdominal surgery and disappeared from view. Subsequently, several photography companies issued a “death warning” for the “manipulated” image.
Middleton quickly apologized for any “confusion” caused by her new “modding experience.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, please call or write to Suicide & Disaster Lifeline on 988.