Lady Gabriella's husband 'happy and positive' days before his shock death at 45

THOMAS KINGSTON, the husband of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent's daughter Lady Gabriella, was "happy and positive" at an event in London just days before his shock death aged 45, close friends have said.

- John Dunne

The financier and former hostage negotiator, known as Tom, was found dead at an address in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire on Sunday evening, and emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 6pm.

An inquest will be held to establish the cause of death, but there are no suspicious circumstances and no other parties involved.

One friend who spoke to Mr Kingston and Lady Gabriella at a party last Wednesday at the National Gallery told MailOnline: "They seemed happy and positive as ever. Ella was particularly chatty." The sudden death has plunged the royal family into shock.

Lady Gabriella, 42, who is 56th in line to the throne, and her elder brother, Lord Frederick Windsor, grew up in an apartment in Kensington Palace.