Kate Middleton health update as friends reveal Thomas Kingston ‘happy’ days before death – latest news

The Rev Canon Andrew White, who was in Baghdad at the same time Thomas Kingston served as project manager for a “government sponsored conflict resolution project”, described him as “an exceptional young man”.

He told the Daily Mail in 2019: “Tom is one of the most remarkable people I have ever worked with and I would have him back at my side tomorrow, if he would come.”

“Tom has a fierce determination to make things succeed and great insight into what makes humans tick, both good and bad,” Rev White said. “He uses those to see beyond the impossible and get through to the other side.

“We built up a huge following, hundreds of whom I baptised as children and who have relocated to Jordan. Tom helped me.”

The King held an in-person audience with the Prime Minister on Wednesday, Buckingham Palace confirmed.

Charles, who is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer, resumed his weekly face-to-face meeting with Rishi Sunak last week – his first since his diagnosis.

The monarch left Windsor Castle and returned to Clarence House on Tuesday, missing the service of thanksgiving for King Constantine of Greece.

The King and Mr Sunak met at nearby Buckingham Palace.

Although the King is continuing with duties behind the scenes, he has postponed all public-facing engagements while he undergoes treatment.

He told Mr Sunak last week how “wonderful” get well messages from the public had “reduced me to tears most of the time”.

Thomas Kingston smiles lovingly at his wife Lady Gabriella Windsor in a resurfaced video of their wedding at St George’s Chapel in May 2019.

Kingston, 45, was found dead at an address in the Cotswolds on Sunday evening (25 February). 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 are thought to have been involved.

Andrew’s step back into the spotlight came as Prince William pulled out of the service to his godfather due to an undisclosed personal matter.

Harry paid tribute, in a video message played at the event in London, to Invictus medal-winning cyclist and fellow former soldier Josh Boggi, who won the Unconquered category.

Harry, who undertook two frontline tours in Afghanistan, praised Mr Boggi for being the “personification of resilience”.

“Josh, you are a truly remarkable human,” the duke said. “You served your country and completed three tours of Afghanistan.

“You were blown up, suffering a broken back and the loss of three limbs. You cycled across America and won several Invictus Games medals.”

He described how Mr Boggi nearly died again in an accident, when he collided with a truck, then contracted sepsis, but celebrated his own survival by jumping out of a plane to skydive twice over Nepal.

Harry added: “You are always helping others. There is no-one in the world who deserves this more, you are the personification of resilience.

“And for everyone else, do not try this at home.

“Josh. You are the winner of the Invictus Games Foundation Unconquered award. Congratulations mate.”

Queen Camilla helped host the BBC 500 Words event and was credited by writer and comic Charlie Higson, a member of the judging panel alongside Sir Lenny Henry, as ensuring the project’s return after a three-year hiatus.

After the presentation ceremony Sir Lenny, with fellow judges and the celebrity readers, was ushered into a state room away from afternoon tea laid out for guests in the nearby picture gallery, and he jokingly complained to the Queen about the lack of biscuits.

“I said there’s no food here, man, when we arrived there was no biscuits, no sandwiches.”

Earlier the comic was in mock uproar when Camilla greeted judge Francesca Simon, author of the Horrid Henry series, with a kiss on both cheeks, saying loudly “hang on we never got that”.

Sir Lenny said later: “It was amazing, judging, as you would expect, was difficult because there is so much talent out there, but in the end what happens is there’s a massive sifting process and you end up with the final 50 stories.

“And we read and respond, and first of all you’re in your pants at home eating Jammie Dodgers reading these stories, then you get in a room and you learn whether there’s a coherent strategy, whether we all agree and actually what’s amazing our taste was quite similar.”

The Duke of Sussex has made a surprise appearance on screen at the Sport Gives Back Awards in honour of a triple amputee Afghanistan veteran.

Harry paid tribute, in a video message played at the event in London, to Invictus medal-winning cyclist and fellow former soldier Josh Boggi, who won the Unconquered category.

It was Harry’s second video appearance on Wednesday, coming on the same day he lost a High Court challenge against the Home Office over a decision to change the level of his personal security when he visits the UK.

The duke, who also recorded an earlier message appealing for nominations for the WellChild Awards, is to seek to appeal against the ruling, with his lawyers saying Harry “hopes he will obtain justice”.

The Queen was hailed at a Buckingham Palace awards ceremony for helping to revive a national writing competition which celebrates young talent.

Camilla helped host the BBC 500 Words event and was credited by writer and comic Charlie Higson, a member of the judging panel alongside Sir Lenny Henry, as ensuring the project’s return after a three-year hiatus.

The young finalists had their entries read in the palace’s ballroom by a group of celebrity readers who included Hollywood star Tom Hiddleston, actor Luke Evans and talent show judge Oti Mabuse.

Hiddleston told Camilla after the ceremony “We’ve had a three-year gap”, and she replied, “and I never ever thought we were going to bring it back again, but the very kind people at the BBC did listen, thought it was a good idea and here we are”.

Higson was asked if the Queen was a fan of his hit BBC comedy series The Fast Show and replied: “I’ve never asked her”, before adding mischievously: “The question everyone always wants to ask, is ‘do you watch The Crown?’ – I’ll probably be put in the Tower for treason.”