Tara Palmer-Tomkinson dies aged 45 from brain tumour

Palmer-Tomkinson, who was Prince Charles’s god-daughter, was diagnosed with a brain tumour last January.

She died at her London home on Wednesday morning. Known as an “IT girl” for her appearances on the London party circuit, Palmer-Tomkinson revealed she was fighting the illness three months ago. The former “I’m a Celebrity…” contestant had gone for a set of blood tests after feeling run down the previous summer.

Doctors discovered a growth in her pituitary gland which was malignant and affecting the production of hormone prolactin. The blood tests also showed that she was suffering from a rare auto-immune condition, related to her anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA-related), in which abnormal antibodies attack the body’s cells and tissues,

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall are said to be “deeply saddened” following the death of their goddaughter.

A police spokesperson said: “Police were called by London Ambulance Service at approximately 1.40pm on Wednesday, February 8, to an address in SW5.”

A woman, aged in her 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene. Next of kin have been informed.

“The death is being treated as unexplained. At this early stage, police are not treating the death as suspicious. Enquiries into the circumstances are ongoing. The coroner has been informed.”

A regular fixture in tabloid newspaper and gossip magazines, Palmer-Tomkinson was treated for an addiction to cocaine in the late-90s whilst her relationship with the royal family was also the subject of speculation.

However she left rehab in 1999 and in 2014 said she had worked hard to stay off drugs since. In that same interview with the Mail on Sunday she also said that her doctor had told her she was very high on the autistic spectrum.

She revealed the diagnosis whilst promoting the charity Speur-Ghlan, which helps young children diagnosed with autism or developmental delays.

She said at the time: "I would give Speur-Ghlan the shirt off my back. Autism is still little understood and often not diagnosed for a long time.”

She also gave talks in schools about addiction and drugs.