Princess of Wales sent 'beautiful letter' to Kate Garraway following Derek Draper's death

The broadcaster also revealed that she received messages of condolences from King Charles as well as David and Victoria Beckham
Lisa McLoughlin 5 February 2024
The Weekender

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Kate Garraway revealed she received a "beautiful letter" from the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as King Charles following the death of her husband Derek Draper.

The presenter made her first TV appearance on Monday's Good Morning Britain following Draper's passing on January 3 from a cardiac arrest after battling Covid complications since 2020.

His funeral was held on Friday at the Church of St Mary The Virgin in Primrose Hill, north-west London, where the couple married in September 2005.

Garraway, 56, appeared via video from her London home on Monday morning - with flowers from her husband’s funeral visible in the background - and first told how the Beckhams had reached out to her with a handwritten letter.

Speaking with her colleagues Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid, she shared: “I have the most beautiful letter from David and Victoria Beckham. Handwritten, beautiful, very good handwriting may I say? Very good handwriting that is Darcey's observation.”

The broadcaster then revealed that members of the Royal family had been in touch, including the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as King Charles – and shared her gratitude for their heartfelt words especially as the Princess has recently been in hospital recovering from abdominal surgery.

Victoria and David Beckham reached out to Garraway following Derek Draper's death
PA Wire

She continued: “And also from the royal family, Catherine and William sent a beautiful letter and I know Catherine has been in hospital herself so that's lovely.

“And you know even the King because there is somebody that knows about grief and also knows about that sort of anticipatory grief where something has a risk of happening and will maybe at one point happen, but how different it is when it does happen.

“And I just, I'm not sure I'm allowed to say these things, because I think you're sort of sworn to secrecy, but I'm not going into too much detail, but I just think it was lovely of them to reach out to me.”

She added: “It's lovely to know that those people understand those emotions, I think for all of us, you know what I mean, it connects us all together.

"And it's only because I work with you and GMB that they know who I am but there will be people watching that they don't know who they are, but they know the emotions and I think that's lovely.”

The ITV presenter has been pictured with members of the Royal Family a number of times in recent years. She previously took part in the Kate's Hold Still photography project, delivered a reading at the first Together At Christmas Carol Concert and was awarded an MBE by Prince William at Windsor Castle last June.

During her chat, Garraway confirmed she will be returning to Good Morning Britain alongside Ben Shepherd on Thursday. 

As well as returning to GMB, Garraway is set to return to her slot presenting on Smooth FM bosses imminently. 

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