Reports emerged this week that Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, won't be attending the upcoming wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and her financier fiancé Thomas Kingston.
If you aren't a British royal family buff, you might not know Lady Gabriella is—let alone why her more-famous relative is missing her nuptials.
Lady Gabriella Marina Alexandra Ophelia Windsor is the only daughter of Prince Michael of Kent. Prince Michael is a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II through his father, George, Duke of Kent. George's brother, King George IV, was the Queen's father. That makes Lady Gabriella—or "Ella" as she is often known—the queen's first cousin once removed. She is 52nd in line to the throne.
She is 38, and has worked in communications, as well as writing for several newspapers and magazines, according to The Telegraph. She previously dated writer Aatish Taseer, who once wrote an account of their three-year relationship for Vanity Fair.
Lady Gabriella's wedding to Kingston will be her first. Kingston once dated Pippa Middleton, according to Town & Country magazine.
Lady Gabriella has an older brother, Lord Frederick Windsor, who is married to actress Sophie Winkleman, best known for her role in cult British comedy Peep Show.
Lady Gabriella's author mother, Princess Michael, is known for a number of controversies. In 2017, for example, she was criticized for wearing a blackamoor-style brooch depicting a stylized black man to the Queen's Christmas lunch. Meghan Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, was also present at the event.
Lady Gabriella will marry Kingston Saturday at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. But Prince William will be unable to attend as he is scheduled to watch a major men's soccer match that day, according to People magazine.
Prince William is president of England's Football Association (FA). He has a mostly ceremonial role in the organization, with actual policy matters handled by its chair, businessman Greg Clarke.
The Duke of Cambridge normally attends the final match of the annual FA Cup competition. But he did miss 2018's FA Cup final to go to his brother, Prince Harry's wedding.
This year, underdog Hertfordshire-based Watford Football Club (FC) will battle five-time winners Manchester City FC for the FA Cup at London's Wembley Stadium. On Saturday, Prince William will hand the coveted trophy to the winning team, as the official Kensington Palace Twitter account noted Monday.
It's thought that Prince William's wife, Catherine, Duchess of Sussex, will also miss Lady Gabriella's wedding, as People magazine noted. But Buckingham Palace previously confirmed Queen Elizabeth II will be in attendance, Hello magazine noted.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Katherine Hignett is a reporter based in London. She currently covers current affairs, health and science. Prior to joining Newsweek ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
