Lady Gabriella Windsor's wedding: Who is Prince Michael of Kent? How is Gabriella related to Queen Elizabeth and who is she marrying?
It has been a bumper few years for royal weddings, from the big ones - Meghan Markle and Prince Harry - to the nuptials of lesser-known royal relatives, like Princess Diana's niece Celia McCorquadale, who wore the family Spencer Tiara on her big day.
Today Lady Gabriella Windsor marries her financier husband Thomas Kingston at St George's Chapel, Windsor.
According to an official Buckingham Palace statement last September, Thomas Kingston proposed to Lady Gabriella Windsor on the Isle of Sark last August. With their wedding date approaching swiftly, here’s everything we know about the next royal wedding in the calendar.
Who is Lady Gabriella Windsor?
Lady Gabriella Windsor is the daughter of Prince Michael of Kent, the Queen’s cousin, and his wife Princess Michael of Kent. (Princess Michael of Kent was the focus of negative media attention in 2017 when she controversially wore a blackamoor brooch to a Christmas lunch which Meghan Markle was also attending and when an essay from one of Lady Gabriella's former beaus surfaced in Vanity Fair.) Her full name is Lady Gabriella Marina Alexandra Ophelia Windsor but is said to go by “Ella” according to Harper’s Bazaar.
Like Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, Lady Gabriella Windsor is not actually a working royal and is free to pursue a career beyond the palace. At the moment, she is the Arts and Travel Director at Branding Latin America - a company which specialises in helping Latin American companies and individuals with their overseas branding. She is a graduate of both Brown and Oxford Universities.
She has also worked as a freelance writer with articles in Conde Nast Traveller, Monocle Magazine and The London Magazine. She is also the board director for a non-profit called The Playing for Change Foundation.
She has one older brother, Lord Frederick Windsor, who is married to Peep Show actress Sophie Winkleman (otherwise known by her character nickname Big Suze)
Will Prince Michael of Kent walk Lady Gabriella Windsor down the aisle?
It's likely that Prince Michael of Kent will walk his daughter down the aisle, especially since the palace confirmed that the ceremony will be paid for by Lady Gabriella’s parents.
How is she related to Queen Elizabeth?
Lady Gabriella Windsor is a long way down the line of succession. Her father, Prince Michael of Kent, is the Queen’s cousin.
That makes Lady Gabriella Queen Elizabeth’s first cousin once removed. She is 51st in the line of succession to the British throne.
Who is Thomas Kingston?
Thomas Kingston might not be a Hollywood actor or brand ambassador for George Clooney’s tequila brand like Meghan Markle or Jack Brooksbank, but there’s a chance you’ll have heard his name in the press before.
Kingston, who works “in frontier market investment and is a Director of Devenport Capital” according to the Palace, once dated Pippa Middleton back in 2011. While the relationship didn’t work out (Pippa, of course, ended up marrying James Matthews in 2017), they seem to have ended things on amicable terms - Kingston was invited to Pippa's wedding, along with Lady Gabriella Windsor.
According to The Telegraph, Kingston previously worked with the International Centre for Reconciliation - UK/US venture which “mediated conflicts among Iraq’s political, religious and tribal leaders” as well as negotiating “the release of foreign and Iraqi hostages”. From there, he moved into finance in 2006 with stints at Schroder’s Asset Management and Voltan Capital in 2012.
When and where are they getting married?
Lady Gabriella Windsor is following in both Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie’s footsteps as she’s chosen to marry Thomas Kingston at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. Buckingham Palace previously confirmed that the ceremony, which will be paid for by Lady Gabriella’s parents, would take place at the popular royal wedding spot and that it has “personal resonance” for them. The Palace also revealed Lady Gabriella had “spent many Christmases at Windsor” and that her grandparents were buried at Frogmore.
Like the Sussexes the couple will also hold their reception at Frogmore House, although theirs will be in the afternoon. (Note: Frogmore House is a different building to Frogmore Cottage, which Harry and Meghan are currently renovating and will eventually be moving into.)
Lady Gabriella’s older brother Lord Frederick is also expected to attend, along with his wife Sophie Winkleman.
