Rosie Roche, the 20-year-old second cousin of Prince William and Prince Harry, was found dead at her family property earlier this month.
Ms Roche, the granddaughter of Princess Diana’s uncle Edmund Roche, died at her home in Norton, near Malmesbury in Wiltshire, on July 14.
She was reportedly found by her mother and sister while packing for a trip away with friends.
A formal investigation has now revealed the cause of death was a “traumatic head injury.”
A firearm was located near her body at the scene.
The inquest was formally opened at Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner’s Court and adjourned until October 25.
According to The Sun, area coroner Grant Davies told the hearing police had “deemed the death as non-suspicious and there was no third-party involvement.”
Rosie was related to the British royal family through her grandfather Edmund Roche, 5th Baron Fermoy, who was the maternal uncle of Princess Diana.
Born on June 21, 2005, Rosie was the eldest child of the Hon (Edmund) Hugh Burke Roche and his wife, Phillipa (Pippa) Roche.
She was a bright and talented student who just finished her first year studying English literature at Durham University, she was described by staff and students as full of life, energy and creativity, with a deep love for literature, poetry and travel.
Her family also echoed their grief in a statement by the Yorkshire Post on Saturday, July 19, calling her a “darling daughter” and “incredible sister”.
A spokeswoman said she “will be sorely missed”.
It’s understood a private family funeral will be held for Rosie, with a memorial service to be held at a later date.
The heartbreaking news comes months after the death of Thomas Kingston, the husband of royal family member Lady Gabriella Kingston, who died by suicide in February 2024 at the age of 45.
Lady Gabriella, 44, is the daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
An inquest later revealed Mr Kingston had suffered a “traumatic head wound” and that a firearm had been found near his body, with similar conditions to Rosie’s death.
While Princes William and Harry have not yet released a statement, Rosie’s death has sent shockwaves through the family and broader community.
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