Lady Gabriella Windsor's husband seemed 'happy and positive' ahead of unexpected death

Lady Gabriella Windsor's husband, Thomas Kingston, has tragically passed away, having been found dead on Sunday evening. He was just 45.

Friends of the couple's were particularly shocked by the awful news, since it all happened so suddenly.

A friend who saw Gabriella "Ella" and Thomas at the National Gallery in London last week told the Daily Mail: "They seemed happy and positive as ever. Ella was particularly chatty."

A second friend added: "It's utterly shocking. None of us saw it coming. I cannot understand it."

Thomas was a director at the private equity firm Devonport Capital, while his widow is a writer with work in the likes of the Evening Standard and Country Life, according to Town&Country.

Lady Gabriella is 56th in line to the throne at time of writing. She is the daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, was a first cousin to the late Queen, is a second cousin to King Charles III, and is a second cousin twice removed to Prince William and Prince Harry.

The wider Royal Family issued a statement via a spokesperson, which read: "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."

A cause of death has not been revealed for Thomas at this time, with local police in Gloucestershire stating: "We were called by the ambulance service at 6.25pm on Sunday with a report of the death of a 45-year-old man at an address in the Cotswolds. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner."

Tom's family released the following statement following the sad news: "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."