King Charles, who is undergoing treatment for cancer he announced earlier this month, was seen in public Wednesday for the first time since the sudden death of Lady Gabriella Kingston’s husband. The palace reported the news within hours of both the monarch and Prince William missing a memorial service for the latter’s godfather, the late King Constantine of Greece.
Charles, 75, was leaving his Clarence House residence when he was photographed Wednesday — wearing a tie with Greek flags — as he waved to well-wishers, People reports.
Both King Charles and Prince William were absent Tuesday from the service of Thanksgiving at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, a memorial service honoring the Greek monarch. Constantine, who died in January 2023, was also godfather to Lady Gabriella.
Charles’ health has resulted in limited public appearances, though he is reportedly in the British capital to attend to state business and private meetings. The Prince of Wales, 41, meanwhile attributed his absence to a personal matter unrelated to news of Kingston’s death, CNN reports.
It’s unclear whether William’s absence was at all related to wife Kate Middleton’s recovery from the abdominal surgery she underwent earlier this year, the same week the king was hospitalized for an enlarged prostate procedure. It was during that medical visit that the monarch was diagnosed.
Buckingham Palace announced later Tuesday that 45-year-old Thomas Kingston, was found dead Sunday, at a property in Gloucestershire, about 110 miles northwest of London, according to CNN. Cause of death is pending an inquest, but no suspicious circumstances are suspected. It’s not believed that anyone else was involved in his sudden death, according to the outlet.
The financier was the son-in-law of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, both of whom attended Constantine’s service. Kingston and 42-year-old Lady Gabriella, the King’s second cousin, married in 2019.
King Charles and Queen Camilla expressed their sympathies Tuesday, via a palace spokesperson, noting they “join Prince and Princes 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,” People reports.
Prior to Wednesday, Charles had last been photographed on Feb. 23.
___
© 2024 New York Daily News
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.