Kate Garraway makes touching tribute to Derek Draper at funeral - which also saw emotional performance by Elton John

DEVASTATED Kate Garraway today paid an emotional tribute to her late husband Derek Draper, accompanied by the great and the good of politics and show business.

The Good Morning Britain star, 56, was joined by the couple’s two children Darcey and Billie, with 17-year-old Darcey bravely helping to carry the coffin as her mother tearfully looked on.

Kate Garraway wore her husband Derek’s watch during his funeral Credit: Dan Charity – The Sun

Kate Garraway left the church holding the hand of her 14-year-old son Billy Credits: Splash

Kate and Derek’s daughter Darcey, 17, carried the coffin and carried her father to and from the church Credit: Dan Charity

Kate at the funeral holding the hands of her children, Billy (left) and Darcey (right) Credit: Dan Charity

Elton John sang his hit Skyline Pigeon at the funeral

Former Labor boss Derek Draper, Tony Blair and his wife Cherie also attended the service Credit: Getty

Photos on the funeral certificate showed intimate family momentsCredit: LNP

Derek and Kate married in the same Primrose Hill church in 2005

Derek’s last photo was taken in October, wife Kate Garraway by his side as they celebrated the wedding of his former boss Peter MandelsonCredit: Joshua Bratt

It’s touching that Kate wore Derek’s watch during the funeral, which was 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 sang Lord of the Dance.

Rest in peace now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life.

Kate Garraway

Sir Elton, who arrived with a cane, sang his hit Skyline Pigeon as guests were visibly pumped.

Lyrics of the emotional tune include: “Release me from your grasp / Let me fly away to lands far away / Over green fields, trees and mountains / Flowers and forest fountains / Home along the paths of the sky.”

For a man who has spent most of the past three and a half years bedridden, bravely battling the paralyzing effects of Covid, the meaning was not lost on anyone.

Former Prime Minister Blair, under whom Derek worked for New Labour, also gave a moving speech during the eulogy.

The choir performed Angus Dei, Gospel Hallelujah, God in my head and ended with Nunc Dimittis.

A source said: “It was a heartbreaking day but an amazing send off for a wonderful man.

“Kate, Darcey and Billy were so, so strong throughout and would have been so touched by the incredible response; it was testament to Derek’s popularity in every area of his life.

“Kate wore Derek’s watch so she could wear a little piece of him on the day, and everyone, of course, has been so kind to her. It’s just that the public outpouring of support has kept her going lately.”

Flowers left outside the church during the service included flowers from children.

We are taking time to heal, now that Darcey and Billy know their dad is at peace and free of pain and struggle.

Kate Garraway

Darcey wrote on her flowers: “I love you with all my heart”.

At one point, those present could be seen holding candles as the service, which lasted about two hours, fell on Candlemas.

The festival marks the official end of Christmas.

It is understood that Derek was involved in funeral requests before his tragic death.

“The funeral, from start to finish, was everything Derek could have wanted – and more,” the source added.

“He was a pragmatist in life, and made some requests and ‘gentle proposals’ in his lifetime. Late and his family did him proud.”

Elton could be heard singing live towards the end of the service, stunning passers-by who recognized his iconic voice.

Tony and Cherie Blair left shortly after the service, followed by Elton and husband David Furnish, who briefly waved to the press outside.

Skyline Pigeon – Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Release me from your hands Let me fly to distant lands Over green fields, trees and mountains Flowers and forest fountains Home along the paths of the heavenly road

For this dark and lonely room Projecting a shadow in the dark And my eyes are mirrors of the outside world Thinking of the way the wind can turn the tide And these shadows turn from purple to gray

Only for the dove on the horizon Dreaming of the open Waiting for the day He can spread his wings Fly away again

Fly away, heavenly doves, fly away to the dreams you left so far behind Fly away, heavenly doves, fly away to the dreams you left so far behind you

Just let me wake up in the morning to the smell of freshly cut hay To laugh and cry, to live and die in the light of my day I want to hear the bells of distant churches singing But most of all, please release me from this painful metal ring And open this cage towards the sun

Only for the dove on the horizon, dreaming of the open, waiting for the day, he can spread his wings and fly away again

Fly away, heavenly dove, fly away to the things you left so very far behind Fly away, heavenly dove, fly away to the things you left so very, very far behind you

Former Labor politicians Ed Milliband and Ed Balls, who left with Robert Rinder, left soon after.

Other guests appear to have enjoyed a champagne reception while the family attended the Committal.

One participant went outside holding a glass of soda to light a cigarette.

Other guests seen leaving included Alex Beresford, Charlotte Hawkins, Peter Mandelson – Derek’s old boss – and Roman Kemp.

The coffin was returned to the church about 90 minutes later and the coffin was loaded into the hearse.

Kate and her family then left for a private burial at Jaguars shortly before 2.30pm.

Several members of the public broke into applause as the cars drove away.

After the service, close friends and family gathered for a private celebration of the former lobbyist’s life.

In honor of all Kate’s campaigning, Carers UK also donated SumUp machines for guests to donate contactlessly, and mental health charity Mind provided cash donation boxes.

Derek died on January 3rd from complications of prolonged Covid.

He had suffered a devastating heart attack the previous month, but against all odds, he initially overcame this latest health problem.

The former political spin doctor turned renowned psychotherapist – who retrained in the United States after leaving the Labor Party in the 1990s – became Britain’s longest-suffering hospital patient after contracting the virus in March 2020.

While heroically battling the coronavirus, the beloved father of two was later plagued with a series of health problems.

In addition to damaging his kidneys and liver, he suffered holes in his heart and, when doctors finally tried to bring him out of his ten-week induced coma, he was unresponsive.

After returning home in April 2021, Derek required round-the-clock care and was rushed back to hospital with “life-threatening” sepsis in August the following year.

In the following months, he fell from even worse health, and last December he suffered a massive heart attack.

Derek Draper’s four-year health battle

March 30, 2020: Derek is rushed unresponsive to hospital with Covid.
April 24: He was put into an induced coma.
June 5: Kate reveals that Derek is free of Covid, but his body has suffered damage.
July 5: Awakens from a deep coma, but remains “minimally conscious.”
September 6: Kate then reveals that Derek has lost eight stone and is unable to speak.
September 29: Derek becomes the longest-suffering Covid patient after spending 184 days in hospital.
October 30: Wakes up from a coma and speaks for the first time in seven months.
October 31: He is finally taken off the ventilator after 214 days in the hospital.
7 January 2021: Kate reveals that the children got to visit Derek for Christmas – the first time since he was in hospital.
April 9: Derek returns home after more than a year, but needs round-the-clock care.
May 4: He can talk more.
December 22: Photographed in public for the first time on panto.
February 21, 2022: Kate says they secretly flew to Mexico for a medical.
July 6: Derek is rushed back to the hospital.
August 1: He is in intensive care with “life-threatening” sepsis.
28 June 2023: Sees wife Kate made an MBE.
October 8: Kate reveals that Derek is “not feeling well” after the infection.
November 23: In the hospital for mobility assistance.
December 11: He fell ill and suffered a heart attack.
January 3: Derek Draper dies tragically.