Kate Garraway was seen dancing with her late husband Derek Draper in a heartbreaking clip shared by her pal Myleene Klass on Friday.
Family and friends had gathered at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Primrose Hill for a service of remembrance in honour of Derek, following his death aged 56.
Derek was among the first in the UK to fall seriously ill with Covid-19 and was admitted to an intensive care unit as the country entered lockdown in March 2020.
After attending the lobbyist’s funeral Myleene remembered her friend with a clip of him and wife Kate dancing together.
‘Til you’re dancing together again. Derek Draper, RIP. Your wife and children did you proud,’ the singer wrote.
Kate Garraway, 56, was seen dancing with her late husband Derek Draper in a heartbreaking clip shared by pal Myleene Klass on Friday
Family and friends had gathered at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Primrose Hill for a service of remembrance in honour of Derek , following his death aged 56
Elton John’s song Skyline Pigeon was heard playing over the short video as Kate, dressed in a sequinned dress was pulled in close by Derek on the dancefloor.
Sir Elton performed the emotional track at the funeral while attending with his husband David Furnish – having shared a heartwarming friendship with the couple.
The 76-year-old singer was in the congregation at the Church of St Mary The Virgin in Primrose Hill, having offered comfort to Garraway and Draper through his illness.
He sang his ballad Skyline Pigeon – which contains the lyrics ‘fly away, skyline pigeon fly, towards the dreams, you’ve left so very far behind’ – in tribute to Draper.
Sir Elton had previously invited Draper and Garraway to be guests of honour at his Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert at London’s O2 last year.
Garraway told her Smooth Radio listeners in April 2023 that Sir Elton had been ‘so supportive’ of her family since her husband fell ill.
Sir Elton held the order of service in his hands as he exited the church with Furnish today and they stepped into a waiting car after today’s service, which took place at the same church where Kate and Derek wed almost 20 years ago.
Kate, who has children Darcey, 17, and Billy, 13, with the former political adviser, revealed the heartbreaking news that her husband has died after suffering a heart attack before Christmas following a long battle with Covid.
After attending the lobbyist’s funeral Myleene (pictured at the funeral) remembered her friend with a clip of him and wife Kate dancing together
‘Til you’re dancing together again. Derek Draper, RIP. Your wife and children did you proud,’ the singer wrote
Elton John’s song Skyline Pigeon was heard playing over the short video as Kate, dressed in a sequinned dress was pulled in close by Derek on the dancefloor
Sir Elton, 76, performed the emotional track at the funeral while attending with his husband David Furnish – having shared a heartwarming friendship with the couple
Rocket Man hitmaker Sir Elton responded at the time by posting on Instagram: ‘My heart goes out to Kate, Darcey, William and the whole family following the passing of Derek. David, the boys and I are thinking of you and sending all our love.’
After last April’s O2 concert, Kate heaped praised on a ‘supportive’ and ‘kind’ Elton when he dedicated Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me to Derek during his Elton On His Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.
According to Kate, the trip was a big ordeal for the couple – particularly for former political lobbyist Derek who faced devastating health complications after his body was ravaged by coronavirus three years ago.
She told Smooth Radio: ‘Right up to the last minute, I wasn’t sure if it would be possible to get Derek there.
It took weeks of planning and just days before, it looked like he would be too sick to attend. Even on the journey there, he seemed so weak.
‘As soon as we got into the stadium and Elton went on stage, he started weeping tears of joy, and squeezed my hand so tightly. He refused to wear ear defenders for an hour so he could hear the music.
‘But then at one point it all seemed like it might be all too much for him and he started shaking. His nurses and I took him outside the hall to let him have a moment to stretch and relax in the dark and silence.
‘After a while, I asked him if it was time to go and he said, ‘No… want to go back’, so we gave him ear defenders to reduce the stimulation and wheeled him back to the concert.
‘It must have been fate as that was the exact moment Elton suddenly dedicated Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me to Derek and his journey.’
Derek had been plagued with health woes after contracting Covid in 2020 and suffered a cardiac arrest in December, with Kate spending Christmas at hospital
Elton took to his Instagram stories to pen: ‘My heart goes out to Kate, Darcey, William and the whole family following the passing of Derek. David, the boys and I are thinking of you and sending all our love’
Sir Elton previously paid tribute at an O2 Arena concert to his friend Derek Draper
She continued: ‘We were all in tears, the kids, Derek and even the nurses. It was completely unexpected.
‘People around us were so lovely and started clapping which was an extraordinary moment we will all treasure forever and Elton made it possible.’
‘We’ll always have that special moment as a family, whatever the future holds.’
Paying tribute to the singer, she said: ‘I can’t thank Elton and David enough. They are such kind people and have been so supportive to us all over the last three years.
‘We have been surrounded by so much kindness from people everywhere. It really keeps us going through the hard times. We’re just bursting with gratitude.’
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