May is a busy time for many royals as it marks special anniversaries for Lady Gabriella Kingston and Thomas Kingston, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, and Pippa Middleton and James Matthews.
While it should be a happy occasion which sees them look back at their royal weddings, Lady Gabriella Windsor's will be tinged with sadness since it marks her first wedding anniversary since her late husband Thomas died.
Gabriella and Thomas' wedding
After several years of dating, Thomas proposed on the island of Sark in August 2018, and Buckingham Palace confirmed their plans to marry the following month.
This weekend, 18 May, would have marked five years since Gabriella exchanged vows with the financier at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
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Gabriella was a stunning bride in a bespoke lace Luisa Beccaria gown that she teamed with a "very sheer" 20-foot veil – with which she almost suffered a mishap!
"It was a magical day and Luisa created a wonderful dress for me," she previously told HELLO!, adding that she had "so many happy memories."
The newlyweds and their loved ones, including royals such as the late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne, then headed to Frogmore House for the wedding reception. Gabriella and Thomas' ceremony and reception venues were the same ones chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex the year before.
Gabriella's heartbreak
In February 2024, after just five years of marriage, Buckingham Palace announced Thomas had passed away aged 45. Gabriella, the daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, shared an emotional statement gushing about her "exceptional" husband as she grieved his death.
"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," she wrote.
An inquest later by Gloucestershire Coroner's Court revealed he died from a "traumatic head wound" at his parents' home in the Cotswolds.
Katy Skerrett, senior coroner for Gloucestershire, explained in a short hearing at court: "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.
"A post-mortem has been undertaken by Dr Jones, a consultant histopathologist, and a provisional cause of death has been given as a traumatic wound to the 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."
Thomas's funeral was held at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace in London on 12 March, with royals such as the Prince of Wales in attendance.
Royal support
Gabriella's family and friends will likely be pillars of support for her during this difficult time. King Charles and Queen Camilla are just some members of the royal family who have rallied around her over the past few months, with reports suggesting that they have invited her to attend the King's Birthday Parade, known as Trooping the Colour, on 15 June.
A royal source told The Daily Mail's Richard Eden that everyone is hopeful that Lady Gabriella will attend the celebrations "if she feels up to it".
READ: Lady Gabriella Kingston moves back into Kensington Palace following death of husband
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