Husband of UK Royal Dies After ‘Adverse Effects of Medication’

PoliticsSocial IssuesCulture Dec 09, 2024 Tim Baker

The tragic death of Thomas Kingston, husband of Lady Gabriella, has brought to light the dangers associated with antidepressant medications and the growing reliance on pharmaceutical interventions for mental health challenges. An inquest in Gloucestershire revealed that Kingston took his own life after experiencing severe adverse effects from antidepressants prescribed by a Buckingham Palace doctor.

A Royal Tragedy

Thomas Kingston, 45, passed away in February at his parents’ home in the Cotswolds. He had been married to Lady Gabriella Windsor, the daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, since their 2019 wedding at Windsor Castle, attended by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Senior Coroner Katy Skerrett concluded that Kingston died from a self-inflicted wound but emphasised that there was no evidence of suicidal intent. She stated: “The evidence of his wife, family, and business partner all supports his lack of suicidal intent. He was suffering adverse effects of medication he had recently been prescribed.”

The Risks of Antidepressants

The inquest revealed that Kingston began taking antidepressants to address trouble sleeping caused by work-related stress. He was initially prescribed sertraline, an SSRI antidepressant, alongside zopiclone, a sleeping tablet, by a GP at the Royal Mews surgery. When the medication failed to improve his symptoms, he was switched to citalopram, another SSRI. Tragically, this shift appears to have worsened his mental state.

Lady Gabriella shared her belief that her husband’s death was directly linked to the adverse effects of these medications. She stated: “If anything had been troubling him, I’m positive that he would have shared that he was struggling severely. The fact that he took his life at the home of his beloved parents suggests the decision was the result of a sudden impulse.”

Her testimony raises serious concerns about the safety of these drugs and the lack of awareness surrounding their potential to provoke harmful reactions. “If this could happen to Tom, this could happen to anyone,” she warned.

A Call to Rethink Pharmaceutical Solutions

This heartbreaking case underscores the urgent need to rethink the widespread use of antidepressants and other psychiatric medications. Lady Gabriella’s plea highlights the importance of exploring safer, non-pharmaceutical approaches to mental health care. Educating the public about the risks of these drugs and advocating for alternative treatments could prevent further tragedies.

At Kiwis For Good, we remain steadfast in our belief that mental health challenges should be addressed through holistic, drug-free methods whenever possible. Kingston’s story serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by over-reliance on pharmaceuticals and the need for systemic change.

For more details, read the original article published in The Guardian here.

Rupert’s Black Dog Social IssuesCulture Rupert’s Black Dog My name is Arwen Valks and I am a wife, a mummy, a creator, a dreamer and a rainbow. The life that has lead to each of these titles has been an adventure, to say the least. Read An Exposé: Study 329, Antidepressants, and New Zealand’s Youth Suicide Crisis Social IssuesTechnology An Exposé: Study 329, Antidepressants, and New Zealand’s Youth Suicide Crisis The alarming prevalence of antidepressant use among New Zealand’s youth demands urgent scrutiny. According to Ministry of Health data obtained by Kiwis For Good, in 2021, over 10,000 prescriptions for the antidepressant paroxetine were written for individuals under 30, including 1,330 for those under 19. These figures are particularly concerning given the dark history of paroxetine, a drug at the centre of one of the pharmaceutical industry’s most notorious scandals: Study 329. Read An Interview with Whitty Whitmore - WW2 & Hiroshima Social IssuesCulture An Interview with Whitty Whitmore - WW2 & Hiroshima Whitty Whitmore was born in Tauranga in 1924. He lost his father at 11 and at 15 signed up to fight in WW2, where he was sent to Italy where he fought in The Battle of Monte Cassino. He has battled and overcome mental health struggles. A true survivor, we are honoured to be able to share his story with you now. Read Is Toxoplasma Gondii the Hidden Culprit Behind Mental Health Crises? Why Parasite Treatment Should Be a Top Priority in Psychiatry Social Issues Is Toxoplasma Gondii the Hidden Culprit Behind Mental Health Crises? Why Parasite Treatment Should Be a Top Priority in Psychiatry For years, the mental health field has diligently sought answers to the root causes of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and—most tragically—suicidal behaviour. We often look for obvious culprits: trauma, substance abuse, environmental stress, or familial history of mental illness. But what if the real cause of these debilitating conditions is far more insidious, microscopic, and commonly overlooked? Read The Psychedelic Prescription PoliticsSocial IssuesCulture The Psychedelic Prescription Every year in Autumn, Magic Mushroom 'Fairies' go foraging for the many of the psychedelic mushroom varieties native to New Zealand Aotearoa. One such individual is "John". We have masked John's identity to protect him from prosecution. Read Our little miracle Social IssuesCulture Our little miracle Katie was born on the 8th of May 2001 at 6.45 in the morning, weighing only 5 and a half ounces we called her our little miracle.  Read
Help Us Help Others!

Your donations are incredibly important for us, and enable us to use our initiatives to help our fellow Kiwis.

Donate today
Join Our Newsletter

For the latest news and projects, keep up-to-date with our newsletter. We promise not to spam you; we get enough of that ourselves!