Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper was at Windsor Castle to see her made an MBE by the Prince of Wales.
The Good Morning Britain presenter was recognised in the 2022 New Year Honours for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity, and received the award from William on Wednesday with Draper watching from a wheelchair nearby.
Garraway described how she felt to be sharing the day with her husband, telling the PA news agency: “I think it’s unbelievable.
“So many hours, we thought it would never happen, (but) here we are. It’s fantastic. It’s a real feeling of ‘Right, seize the day and enjoy the moment’.”
Former political adviser Draper fell seriously ill with Covid-19 in March 2020, which left him with long-lasting damage to his organs and needing daily care.
Pictures showed him in a blue suit and striped tie, while his wife wore a cream dress with a bejewelled collar and a matching headpiece for the investiture ceremony which Garraway described as “beautiful”.
She told PA: “It’s wonderful. I’ve never been to Windsor Castle before. I’ve been past it, but never inside it, and it’s just a beautiful building, it’s a fantastic atmosphere.
“A room full of people that have done wonderful things in so many different ways, personal struggles and dealt with things in their life, and it’s just a wonderful boost actually, it’s a fantastic thing.
“The Prince of Wales was wonderful. He makes it very easy and very comfortable and he obviously cares a lot about it. It’s a very special day.
“I have met him for some bits and bobs of things with him with charities, and the Prince’s Trust as well, his dad’s charity, so he just said it was lovely that he could see me and we could have a good chat about it.
“I think he’s very good because he makes everything very special for everybody.”
The TV presenter, whose parents, Gordon and Marilyn Garraway, also attended the ceremony, said it was “wonderful” to share the day with her family.
“We’re going back to see the children and then have a bit of lunch,” she said before joking that daughter Darcey and son William “have to listen to me now because it’s official by royal appointment, isn’t that right?”
Asked about the long delay between her MBE being announced and her receiving the award, she joked: “I was convinced that I had been forgotten because they announced it in the beginning of 2022.
“Then, because of backlogs and various things happening and setbacks, we’re here today – which is lovely.”
Reacting last year to news of the accolade, 56-year-old Garraway said on Good Morning Britain: “I actually feel very awkward about it all really, I don’t know why, because I’m thrilled to bits and incredibly honoured.
“But you just sort of think ‘What? Me?’, and then you think it’s not real.”
She also admitted she had received some negative comments about the honour, saying: “I think it has (evoked) strange feelings. And there have been a few comments since it was announced of people saying ‘Why has she got this? I look after my loved one’.
“I haven’t got it for looking after Derek. It is for broadcasting and I think also charity work. But you know there’s lots of people that you feel deserve it more. So it’s a strange feeling.”
The TV presenter has since made two documentaries detailing her family’s life as Draper battles the long-term effects of coronavirus, with both programmes winning National Television Awards in the authored documentary category.
She has also written two books – The Power Of Hope: The Moving Memoir From ITV’s Kate Garraway and The Strength Of Love: Embracing An Uncertain Future With Resilience And Optimism – following 55-year-old Draper’s health struggle.
There are plans for her to front a third documentary exposing the “broken” care system.
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