TOGETHER IN GRIEF
Kate Garraway’s daughter carries coffin at funeral to lay beloved dad Derek Draper to rest as hundreds mourn loss
A host of high-profile politicians and celebrities have also attended the funeral
KATE Garraway's young daughter today carried the coffin of her dad Derek Draper in and out of his funeral as family and friends turned out to pay their respects.
Distraught Kate was joined by her two children, Darcey and Billy, for the service where Kate and Derek married nearly 20 years ago.
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Susanna Reid and Piers Morgan were among the string of celebrities who joined the family to mourn 56-year-old Derek.
Kate clutched the hand of her 14-year-old son Billy while leaving the service in Primrose Hill, North London.
Her daughter Darcey, 17, put on a brave front as she helped to carry her dad's coffin in and out of the church.
A solemn Kate watched on as his coffin was adorned with flowers - one of which carried the note: "The world won't be the same without you."
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Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life.
Kate Garraway
The Good Morning Britain star looked heartbroken as she met and hugged mourners before watching her husband's coffin being carried into the church.
The GMB presenter briefly looked into the sky as she walked with Billy inside.
She wore a long black coat with large pearls with Darcey and Billy also in all black.
The funeral is being held four weeks after Derek died on January 3 aged 56 following a nearly four-year battle with complications from Covid.
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Derek fell seriously ill during the early part of the pandemic in March 2020 and spent 13 months in hospital before he was later discharged.
He was admitted back to hospital in December when he had a heart attack.
Brave Kate endured “eight gruelling weeks” after taking Covid-stricken husband Derek to Mexico for specialist treatment.
Many of Kate's Good Morning Britain co-stars attended the funeral including Ben Shephard, Susanna Reid and Ranvir Singh.
ITV's Lorraine Kelly and Ben Shephard, who work alongside Kate as a presenter on GMB, also attended.
Other celebrities like Sir Elton John, Judge Rinder and Myleene Klass were seen entering St Mary the Virgin Church.
Sir Elton had supported Kate through Derek's sickness and she previously described the music legend as a "huge friend".
Sir Elton had previously invited Kate and Derek to be guests of honour at his Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert at London's O2 Arena last year.
TV presenter Fiona Phillips and This Morning editor Martin Frizell, who both worked on the former ITV morning programme GMTV.
Myleene Klass, who has previously stepped in to host Kate's Smooth Radio show was also among the mourners.
Kate often provided health updates about her husband on the ITV morning programme and fronted two documentaries on the channel about how the family's life changed following his illness.
A host of politicians - including Labour leader Keir Starmer and former PM Tony Blair - arrived at the funeral to pay their respects.
We are taking time to heal ourselves, now that Darcey and Billy know their Daddy is at peace and free from pain and struggle.
Kate Garraway
Derek was a former researcher of Lord Mandelson and was a key figure in the early years of New Labour in the 1990s.
Kate announced her husband's death on Instagram, with a post saying: "As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications.
"Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed."
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TV star Kate recently put on a brave face as she was pictured for the first time since Derek's death.
The GMB host, 56, managed a smile as she got a hug from a friend ahead of the funeral.
Derek Draper's four-year health battle
- March 30, 2020: Derek is rushed unresponsive to hospital with Covid.
- April 24: He is put into an induced coma.
- June 5: Kate reveals Derek is Covid-free but his body suffered damage.
- July 5: He awakens from a deep coma but remains "minimally conscious".
- September 6: Kate then reveals Derek lost eight stone and cannot speak.
- September 29: Derek becomes the longest-suffering Covid patient after spending 184 days in hospital.
- October 30: Wakes from coma and speaks for the first time in seven months.
- October 31: He is finally taken off ventilator after 214 days in hospital.
- January 7, 2021: Kate reveals kids got to visit Derek at Christmas - the first time since he was hospitalised.
- April 9: Derek returns home after over a year but needs full-time care.
- May 4: He is able to converse more.
- December 22: Pictured in public for the first time at a panto.
- February 21, 2022: Kate says they secretly flew to Mexico for a medical trial.
- July 6: Derek is rushed back to hospital.
- August 1: He is in intensive care with "life-threatening" sepsis.
- June 28, 2023: He sees wife Kate made MBE.
- October 8: Kate reveals Derek is "not doing great" after an infection.
- November 23: In hospital for treatment to help with movement.
- December 11: Taken ill and suffers a heart attack.
- January 3: Derek Draper tragically dies.
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