King Charles on the first day of Royal Ascot offered a touching gesture to relative Lady Gabriella Kingston after her husband Thomas Kingston unexpectedly died earlier this year.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have stepped out for the colourful Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle.
The ceremony comes just two days after celebrating the King’s official birthday at Trooping the Colour.
The traditional ceremony commemorating the ancient order of the garter has been held annually since 1948.
The King, 75, and Camilla, 76, on Wednesday led the famous carriage procession into Berkshire racecourse for the first day of the annual race meeting on its 199th edition since the occasion began in 1825.
The couple, with Camilla donning a cobalt blue ensemble, were joined in their carriage by the Duke and Duchess of Wellington as their other royal relatives Princess Anne, Peter Phillips and Lady Gabriella, 43, trailed behind in a second carriage.
King Charles has offered a touching gesture to Lady Gabriella Kingston. He is seen with wife Queen Camilla. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
King Charles touchingly invited Gabriella, who is the daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and 56th in line to the throne, to the first of the five-day race meeting. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
King Charles touchingly invited Gabriella, who is the daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and 56th in line to the throne, to the first of the five-day race meeting.
It is regarded an honour the monarch included Gabriella in the Royal Ascot carriage procession where the recent widow quaintly smiled and mingled.
She wore a pale pink floral dress fasted at the waist with a belt and completed the look with a hat in complimentary shade of the colour.
It comes merely days after Gabriella appeared at Trooping the Colour on Saturday – her first public appearance since her 45-year-old husband Thomas Kingston’s shock death in February from a “traumatic head wound”.
Senior coroner Katy Skerrett in March outlined the circumstances of his death and confirmed there was a gun present at the scene of his parents’ property in Gloucestershire where he was reportedly found dead.
“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,” the court heard, according to Sky News UK.
Gabriella appeared at Trooping the Colour on Saturday – her first public appearance since her 45-year-old husband Thomas Kingston’s shock death in February from a “traumatic head wound”. Picture: Getty Images
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“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 outbuilding 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.”
It is understood the Royal Family have since been rallying around Gabriella, who has moved into Kensington Palace because she reportedly “didn’t want to be alone in the home” she shared with her late husband.
And it appears royalists are on board with the firm supporting the widow in mourning.
Fans of the firm took to X on Wednesday to show their support for Gabriella in the comments of a photo posted by the Royal Family capturing the widow and royal relatives on day one of Ascot Day festivities.
“Thank you for looking after Lady Gabriella,” one person wrote.
King Charles appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour along with other royals including Catherine the Princess of Wales. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
“Everyone looked great, but seeing Lady Ella is especially very, very good!” said another.
Royal Ascot, which was founded by Queen Anne in 1711 after she declared the racetrack ideal for “horses to gallop at full stretch”, comes at a demanding time for King Charles as he undergoes cancer treatment.
On Saturday, he also appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour along with other royals including Gabriella and the Catherine the Princess of Wales who is also having treatment for cancer.
Then on Sunday, Charles and Camilla and Kate’s husband Prince William processed through the grounds of Windsor Castle for the annual Garter Day service commemorating the country’s oldest and most senior order of chivalry.
Charles and Camilla followed tradition and stayed at the back of the procession dressed in white feather hats complete with deep blue and red velvet robes alongside Princess Anne and Edward the Duke of Edinburgh.