Derek Draper funeral details: Date, time, place, guest list and everything to know as Kate Garraway's husband is laid to rest

Good Morning Britain (GMB) presenter Kate Garraway's husband, Derek Draper, has been laid to rest after a funeral at St Mary the Virgin Church in Primrose Hill, north London, where the couple exchanged vows nearly twenty years ago.

The funeral took place at around 9:30 am local time on February 1, 2024. Garraway, accompanied by her two children, Darcey, aged 17, and Billy, aged 11, walked hand in hand into the church during this difficult time of grief.

According to the Mirror, psychologist and author Derek Draper's health has been on a steady decline ever since he contracted COVID-19 in 2020. On January 5, 2024, Garraway announced that her husband had died after being critically ill since December 2023.

Garraway posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram where she said that she was with her husband till the very end, holding his hand as he took his last breath. She wrote,

"I'm sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away. 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."

She continued,

"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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Derek Draper's funeral was attended by politicians, TV presenters and celebrities

The funeral of 56-year-old Derek Draper was attended by several colleagues of Kate Garroway. Fellow GMB hosts such as Susanna Reid, Charlotte Hawkins, Ben Shephard, Richard Madeley, Alex Beresford, Rob Rinder, Sean Fletcher, and Richard Arnold were among those who paid their respects.

As per the Mirror, famed broadcaster and journalist Piers Morgan also made an appearance. He was a mutual friend, and he often joked that he was the one who brought the couple together. Morgan worked closely with Garroway to cover the COVID pandemic when it first broke before she took time off to care for her husband.

Sir Elton John and his partner, David Furnish, were also present at the funeral. John, who was a close friend of the couple, paid tribute to Derek and Kate while performing on stage at the O2 Arena in April 2023.

Elton John at Derek Draper's funeral (Image via Getty Images)

As per The Sun, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, his wife Cherie, current Labour leader Keir Starmer, Labour MPs Ed Balls, Lord Peter Mandelson, and Tristram Hunt were among the politicians who showed up to honor one of their own.

Derek Draper's daughter, Darcey, was one of the pallbearers. The teenager bravely carried her father's casket into the church.

Darcey was one of the pallbearers at her father's funeral (Image via Getty Images)

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Derek Draper's battle with COVID left him with long-lasting aftereffects

According to The Mirror, Derek Draper contracted COVID-19 in March 2020, leading to a coma and a 13-month hospitalization, making him Britain's longest-suffering COVID victim.

The political lobbyist made a miraculous recovery and returned home on April 8, 2021, but he was not out of danger yet as he spent the rest of his life in and out of the hospital.

In December 2023, he was once again admitted to the hospital after suffering a massive cardiac arrest. This came as a shock for Garroway, who had looked forward to spending Christmas with her family at home. A few weeks after his cardiac arrest, Derek Draper died on January 5, 2024.