The sudden death of a British royal whose body was found on his parents’ country estate has been attributed to a “catastrophic” wound to the head.

Thomas Kingston, the son-in-law of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, was found dead on Sunday (local time).

A post-mortem revealed he suffered a “traumatic head wound”, and a gun was found near his body.

The death is not being treated as suspicious, according to the Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court which opened an inquest.

Kingston, 45, a financier, married Lady Gabriella Kingston, the daughter of Prince and Princess Michael, in 2019.

Prince Michael of Kent is the first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Kingston’s body was found in an outbuilding at his parents’ rural estate in Cotswolds, west of London.

“These brief circumstances are as follows,” said senior coroner Katy Skerrett.

“Mr Kingston was visiting his parents’ home in the Cotswolds. On 25 February 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.”

Lady Gabriella (pictured with husband Thomas Kingston) is King Charles’ second cousin. Photo: Getty

The post-mortem was undertaken by Dr Jones, a consultant histopathologist, who gave the provisional cause of death a traumatic wound to head.

The inquest was adjourned to a date to be fixed.

‘Great shock’

Heartbroken Lady Gabriella and Kingston’s family expressed their “deepest sorrow” when they announced the death of “our beloved husband, son and brother”.

“Tom was an exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him,” said the statement.

“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.”

Lady Gabriella is the second cousin of King Charles.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “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.”

Kingston’s grim passing comes in an unsettling year for the British royal family.

In January Buckingham Palace announced Kate Middleton had been admitted to hospital for planned surgery and would be out of action until after Easter.

The same day it was confirmed that King Charles would undergo a procedure for a prostate condition. He was later diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer and is undergoing treatment.

The Princess of Wales’ disappearance from public life has triggered an explosion of conspiracy theories and social media speculation.