Kate Garraway reads poem on Royal Carols: Together at Christmas after husband Derek’s Covid battle

Kate Garraway delivered a heartfelt poem during ITV’s Royal Carols: Together at Christmas after an incredibly difficult year which saw her husband Derek Draper continue his lengthy recovery from Covid. 

The television presenter, 54, read Love Came Down at Christmas by Christina Rossetti in front of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other royals at Westminster Abbey in London at the service.

Kate maintained her composure during the emotional reading as she delivered words of hope to millions across the nation in the carol service, which aired on Christmas Eve.

Kate read: ‘Love came down at Christmas, love all lovely, love divine, love was born at Christmas, star and angels gave the sign.

‘Worship we the Godhead, love incarnate, love divine, worship we our Jesus, but wherewith for sacred sign, love shall be our token, love be yours, and love be mine.

‘Love to God and all men, love for plea, and gift and sign.’

Tough times: Kate read a poem Love Came Down at Christmas by Christina Rossetti for the royals in attendance, while Derek continues his recovery at home

Strength: Kate held her composure during the emotional reading as she delivered words of hope to millions across the nation when it aired on Christmas Eve

Kate’s husband Derek, 54, was rushed to hospital in March last year after contracting coronavirus, spending more than a year in medical care before returning home to be looked after by Kate and their children Darcey, 15, and William, 12. 

The journalist recently spoke during an appearance on Good Morning Britain of the moment she realised she and her loved ones realised Derek understands what they are saying to him.

Kate added that Derek faces huge problems with communication, as well as mobility and fatigue as she explained: ‘Sometimes it’s like he’s not present with you.’

She spoke of a moment when playing a moral question game with their two children.

The screen star detailed that the group received the question ‘Who’s most likely to find money on the floor and keep it?’.  

Moving: Westminster Abbey was filled with guests who listened to Kate read the poem when the service was recorded on December 8

She added: ‘Everyone in the room all said at the same time, Darcy! And he [Derek] started to laugh.’

‘It was just the most lovely moment because you thought, he does get it, he does understand.’

‘And he’s right! Because she is the most likely!’, she laughed.  

‘He does get it, he does understand!’: Kate recently detailed a heartwarming update on her husband Derek’s slow recovery from Covid-19

Kate’s GMB co-host Richard Bacon, 46, asked if the moments happen often as Kate responded: ‘You get these extraordinary flashes which create a huge surge of hope.’

But added: ‘That has to sustain you through the periods where it feels like there’s never going to be any change.’ 

‘But most of all we’re lucky that we have the chance, because of a lot of people passed away.’  

Thankful: Kate admitted there was still a ‘long, long way to go’ with regards to his recovery, but that she felt grateful to have him home this festive period

Richard said of the NHS staff who have helped Kate: ‘Sometimes when you got through one of the worst human experiences you also see the best of human nature.’ 

Agreeing, Kate added: ‘You have to remember in the midst of it there are the good things that came out of the pandemic, there’s the sharing, the community and the kindness.’ 

Former political advisor Derek was rushed to hospital after falling gravely ill with the highly infectious respiratory virus as it swept across the United Kingdom in March 2020.  

He spent last December in hospital but has recently returned home and she felt grateful to have him back this festive period.

Kate admitted there was still a ‘long, long way to go’ with regards to his recovery, but that she felt grateful to have him home this festive period.   

Reflecting on having him home, she said: ‘Last Christmas Eve, we did have a lot of promise and a lot of hope. But Derek was in hospital.

‘We had no idea whether he was going to live or die, praying that it was going in the right direction.’ 

Old times: Kate and Derek at the 2007 National Television Awards, two years after their wedding