Kate Garraway gave a positive update on the health of her husband Derek Draper, who has been affected by Covid-19, at her MBE initiation ceremony on Wednesday.
The 56-year-old TV presenter was joined by her husband Derek, 55, as she visited Windsor Castle to receive her MBE for services to broadcasting, journalism and charity.
Kate said it was “amazing” that Derek was able to attend after a grueling ordeal that saw him become the UK’s longest-surviving hospital patient with Covid.
Speaking outside after receiving her MBE, Kate shared that Derek had achieved a major milestone by being able to sit upright in a wheelchair during the ceremony.
She admitted she wasn’t sure he would return after ten difficult days, but was pleased to have her husband’s support at the event.
Health: Kate Garraway gave a positive update on the health of her Covid-stricken husband Derek Draper at her MBE initiation ceremony on Wednesday
Kate said: “I was like ‘Oh my God’ because he’s doing so much better and then we’ve had a little drama in the last 10 days and I was like ‘Oh God’ but he’s here.”
“It’s amazing and unbelievable that he could sit in the chair and it’s a chair that you can recline, that helped a little bit.” Everyone in it was so great and made it possible, so important, like I feel it.”
Kate also spoke about the moment when Prince William awarded her her MBE and said Derek was moved to tears after the royal asked how he was doing.
She continued, “He said ‘How’s Derek’ and I said ‘Well he’s here'” and then they looked at each other and Derek burst into tears.
“Derek was very emotional all day today and said, ‘I’m so proud.’ It’s a beautiful thing.’
Derek was seen smiling in a wheelchair as he watched the ceremony in a blue suit and striped tie, while his wife wore a Lisa Redman dress.
Kate wore a jeweled collar and matching headdress for the investiture ceremony, which Garraway described as “beautiful”.
Alongside her husband Derek, Kate was joined at the ceremony by her parents Gordon and Marilyn, who beamed with pride as they posed for photos.
Family: The presenter, 56, was joined by her husband Derek, 55, and family as she visited Windsor Castle to receive her MBE in broadcasting, journalism and charity services
Emotional: Kate also spoke about the moment when Prince William awarded her her MBE and said Derek was moved to tears after the royal asked how he was doing
The channel has been keeping viewers up to date on Derek’s condition since his initial hospitalization in March 2020 – and in April this year shared a heartwarming photo that finally shows him back home with their children Darcey, 17, and Billy, 13.
Derek – who is also a former lobbyist – was near death after contracting Covid at the start of the pandemic, most likely at the Prince’s Trust Awards, which was also attended by King Charles, then Prince of Wales.
Earlier this month, Kate announced that Derek was finally able to speak.
She told Loose Women, “It’s more of a whisper.” I don’t think we’re necessarily going to have a conversation, but fantastic moments emerge.
“Billy had a new basketball and bounced it, and he said, ‘Is that a new ball?'” He said, “It’s nice”…
“To see that he was able to do that was amazing.” Billy was in tears; they hugged each other. It’s things like that that really cheer you up, and the next day he was really quiet.’
Kate also spoke about her return to the show after her documentary aired in 2021, saying: “It’s really weird.” The last time I was here, just back from the jungle, we were planning to renew our vows.. .
“Within a few weeks we found ourselves in this unfolding drama. It feels like an eternity ago, but it could have been just yesterday. On some levels, everyone’s lives have changed dramatically, but to me, I still live the scenes that you see in the documentary.”
Back in April, Derek’s smiling return from hospital gave his family and friends new hope – three years after his body was first struck by Covid-19 and sepsis.
Derek was rushed to the hospital on March 30, 2020, remained unresponsive and later slipped into a coma. Days later, Kate and her children were isolated at home after showing “mild symptoms”.
Supportive: Derek was seen smiling in a wheelchair as he watched the ceremony in a blue suit and striped tie, while his wife wore a Lisa Redman dress
Recovery: Kate said it was “amazing” that Derek was able to attend after a grueling ordeal that made him the UK’s longest-surviving hospital patient with Covid
On June 5, 2020, Kate announced that Derek was free of coronavirus but continued to battle the damage that was being done to his body.
A month later, she announced that Derek had come out of his coma, but that he remained in serious but critical condition.
At the end of September, Derek was the longest-surviving patient with coronavirus, having spent 184 days in and out of intensive care while losing eight kilos.
And 13 months after he was hospitalized, Kate said Derek was finally allowed to walk in April 2021 but required around-the-clock care.