Kate Garraway says she is 'lucky' to have Derek Draper
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If Kate Garraway, 54, hadn’t already been faced with the worst situation a spouse could imagine, the legal implications of her husband Derek Draper’s horrific run-in with Covid would be enough to push many over the edge. The brave Good Morning Britain presenter became an inspiration for all who had been affected by the pandemic, but there was one thing she wished she and Derek had made sure they had done as a matter of caution before disaster struck.
It isn’t logged anywhere
Kate Garraway
That was assigning one another power of attorney, and the bitter irony is that they had this exact conversation before the medical nightmare began.
And it’s plunged Kate down a legal rabbit hole.
In an interview with an old friend for The Times from 2021, the presenter spoke of the mounting costs and repercussions of the severity of Derek’s condition.
“We had a whole conversation and Derek said we have to appoint power of attorney in case anything happens,” she said.
“He said I’d be his, and I’m sure I made some kind of joke, saying, ‘Well, you’re not being mine.’
“And we were laughing and having all these sorts of jokes.
“So I know we’ve had that conversation. But it isn’t logged anywhere.
“Or if it is, I can’t find it.”
As she couldn’t get her hands on anything written down, poor Kate found herself unable to access his bank or credit card accounts, their joint savings, or refinance the mortgage.
Even when the family’s mobile phones broke, their provider charged her nearly £900 for replacement handsets that would have been free if Derek was able to sign the papers.
And due to data protection, the TV star doesn’t even have the legal right to see his medical notes, despite being next-of-kin.
Now, she admitted her legal situation is “much more complicated”, as she would need a deputy power of attorneyship to assume control of their affairs.
Following his release from the hospital at the end of last year, Derek returned to the family home in North London.
And while fans hoped for his condition to have improved since then, it was only last month that Kate confessed that her husband still had a long way to go.
Speaking ahead of her stint as the new presenter of Life Stories, a source also told New! magazine that while the journalist is excited about her new TV role, she’s still dealing with the stress of Derek’s health back home.
Kate has scooped up so many accolades, such as an NTA for her ITV documentary, Finding Derek, which she also helped produce, on top of being recognised on the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.
“This is all of Kate’s dreams coming true, this is what she hoped would come from her doing I’m A Celebrity in 2019,” a source explained.
“But the pandemic happened, and Derek then obviously got so ill.
“Winning the NTA, taking over from Piers on Life Stories, it’s the most bittersweet thing because Derek is still not well.”
The insider went on to add that while things haven’t been easy for Kate, who is taking care of her husband, their two children, Darcey, 15, and William, 12, and still finding time to work, she’s grateful to have Derek back home with the family.
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