Kensington Palace: Man dies after setting himself on fire outside London home of Kate Middleton

A man has died after reportedly setting himself on fire close to Kensington Palace, Central London. The man, in his 40s, was found ablaze close to the wall of the London home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The man, who has not been identified, was found by emergency services in the early hours of 9 February after police were called following reports of a man who walked out of a Central London hospital he was admitted to over concerns about his mental well-being.

The incident is not being treated as suspicious and is not believed to have been terrorist-related or a form of protest. A Met Police spokesperson said: "Officers in Westminster were called by a Central London hospital at 12.06am on Tuesday 9 February after a man in their care had failed to return.

"Police carried out enquiries to trace this missing man at his home address and two associated addresses but the man, aged in his forties, was not present. Subsequently, police in Kensington and Chelsea were called to an area near the locked parks of Kensington Palace, W8, at 3.06am on Tuesday 9 February following reports of a man behaving suspiciously.

"Officers attended and found a man, believed to be aged in his forties, ablaze. London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended. Despite their efforts and those of officers administering first aid, the man was pronounced dead at 3.42am."

The palace is also the London home to Prince Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, as well as previously the home to royals such as Princess Diana and Queen Victoria.

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