Kate Garraway’s touching tribute to Derek Draper at funeral with emotional performance by Elton John
HEARTBROKEN Kate Garraway paid an emotional tribute to late husband Derek Draper today, joined by the great and good of politics and showbusiness.
The Good Morning Britain star, 56, was joined by the couple's two children Darcey and Billie, with 17-year-old Darcey bravely helping carry the coffin as her tearful mother looked on.
Poignantly Kate wore Derek's watch during the funeral, held at St Mary's Church in London's Primrose Hill.
Guests including Tony Blair, Elton John, Susanna Reid, Ben Shephard, Keir Starmer and Myleene Klass all sang Lord of the Dance.
Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life.
Kate Garraway
Sir Elton, who had arrived with a walking stick, sang his hit Skyline Pigeon as guests visibly welled-up.
Lyrics to the emotional tune include: "Turn me loose from your hands / Let me fly to distant lands / Over green fields, trees and mountains / Flowers and forest fountains / Home along the lanes of the skyway."
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For a man who had spent much of the past three and a half years bed-bound, bravely battling the crippling effects of Covid, the meaning was lost on no-one.
Former PM Blair, under whom Derek worked for New Labour, also gave a touching speech during the service.
A choir performed the Angus Dei, the Gospel Alleluia, God in my head and closed off with Nunc Dimittis.
A source said: "It was a heart-wrenching day, but an incredible send-off for a wonderful man.
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
"Kate, Darcey and Billy were so, so strong throughout, and would have been hugely touched by the incredible turn-out; it was testament to Derek's popularity in every area of his life.
"Kate wore Derek's watch so that she could carry a little piece of him on the day, and everyone was, of course, so kind to her. Quite simply, the public outpouring of support has kept her going."
After the service, close friends and family gathered for a private celebration of the former lobbyist's life.
Skyline Pigeon - By Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Turn me loose from your hands
Let me fly to distant lands
Over green fields, trees and mountains
Flowers and forest fountains
Home along the lanes of the skyway
For this dark and lonely room
Projects a shadow cast in gloom
And my eyes are mirrors of the world outside
Thinking of the way that the wind can turn the tide
And these shadows turn from purple into grey
For just a skyline pigeon
Dreaming of the open
Waiting for the day
He can spread his wings
Fly away again
Fly away, skyline pigeon, fly
Towards the dreams you've left so very far behind
Fly away, skyline pigeon, fly
Towards the dreams you've left so very far behind
Just let me wake up in the morning to the smell of new mown hay
To laugh and cry, to live and die in the brightness of my day
I wanna hear the pealing bells of distant churches sing
But most of all, please free me from this aching metal ring
And open out this cage towards the sun
For just a skyline pigeon
Dreaming of the open
Waiting for the day
He can spread his wings
And fly away again
Fly away, skyline pigeon, fly
Towards the things you've left so very far behind
Fly away, skyline pigeon, fly
Towards the things you've left so very, so very far behind
In honour of all the campaigning Kate has done, Carers UK also donated SumUp machines for guests to make contactless donations, and mental health charity Mind provided boxes for cash donations.
Derek died on January 3rd from complications of long Covid.
The previous month he had suffered a devastating heart attack but, against all odds, had initially overcome this latest set-back to his health.
The one-time political spin doctor-turned-acclaimed psychotherapist - who retrained in the States after quitting the Labour party in the nineties - had become Britain's longest-suffering hospital in-patient after being stricken with the virus in March 2020.
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.
