Kate Garraway said goodbye to her daughter Darcey on Monday as the teenager prepared for her first year at university.
The Good Morning Britain presenter helped the eldest of her two children pack her belongings into boxes before loading them into the back of her car.
Kate, 57, previously paid tribute to 18-year-old Darcey after receiving her A-Level results in August, seven months after the death of her father Derek Draper.
Former political lobbyist Draper died at age 56 in January from complications of COVID-19, nearly four years after falling ill with the respiratory virus.
He was one of the country’s longest-suffering coronavirus patients, having been hospitalised but never fully recovering after the virus left lasting damage to his organs and meant he needed round-the-clock care.
Kate Garraway helped her daughter Darcey pack her belongings on Monday as the teenager prepared for her first year at university.
Kate and her 18-year-old daughter Darcey, the eldest of her two children, are pictured attending Wimbledon over the summer.
Darcey made sure a piece of her late father Derek Draper went with her by packing a family photo and one of his favorite Panama hats, seven months after he died from complications of COVID-19.
And Darcey made sure her dad was still with her by packing a family photo, taken before he contracted the disease in March 2020, and one of his favorite Panama hats.
Sharing a video of the teenager’s departure with her Instagram followers, Kate revealed the unframed photo and hat in the backseat of her car as it was parked on the pavement outside her north London home.
She captioned the clip: “And just like that, she’s gone! The tiny, helpless baby we brought home from the hospital 18 years ago is off to #college!”
“Like thousands of other parents, I was playing that game of Jenga this weekend trying to fit everything into the car. Thank goodness my beloved Victor has a huge trunk!
She added: “It was a very emotional time in many ways and the house is quiet. But Darcey, we couldn’t be more proud that you’re starting this new chapter in your life and you know your dad is with you every step of the way.”
Commenting on the post, Good Morning Britain co-host Charlotte Hawkins wrote: ‘Best of luck Darcey! Have a blast!’
TV presenter Carol Vorderman added: “I wish your little girl all the happiness in the world in her new adventure.”
Meanwhile, Carol Wright, mother of former The Only Way Is Essex stars Mark and Jessica and young model Natalya, wrote: “I wish them all the luck in the world. But as proud as you are, your heart aches when one of them leaves your home.”
Kate’s eldest daughter paid tribute to her future father Derek (right) on Sunday afternoon by wearing one of his favourite Panama hats during the Wimbledon final.
Kate shared a video of the teenager’s departure with her Instagram followers on Monday morning.
She was filmed loading boxes into the back seat of her car as it sat parked on the pavement outside her home in north London.
“I’ve been gone three times now, and each time I’ve cried and felt empty. I have one more to go, and I’m holding on to it with all my might, but I know it will be gone soon because it’s part of independence and growing up. Happy college days, Darcy.”
Darcey received her results in August, and Good Morning Britain star Kate (who is also mum to son Billy, 14) admitted the teenager had “done the best he could” after a difficult year for the family.
In a lengthy post, Kate said Derek “would be proud” of her daughter and shared that they visited her grave to share the results with him.
On Instagram, she wrote: ‘Congratulations to everyone who got their #alevel results this week – a huge achievement – even if you’re disappointed with the results, don’t be, you went all the way and life has a way of working out in the best way for you.
‘Darcey received her results on another of those first days this year – Derek’s birthday. She didn’t get what she could have got, but she did better than any of us feared given the circumstances.
Darcey received her results in August, with Good Morning Britain star Kate admitting the teenager “did the best she could” after a difficult year for the family.
Derek Draper died in January at the age of 56, after four years of battling the long-term effects of COVID-19, which he contracted in 2020.
“I couldn’t be more proud of her and I know her dad would be too. We went to her dad’s grave to ‘tell her’ before she went out to celebrate with her friends.”
She added: ‘I’m at home and just noticed the roses I planted with @itv and @loveyourgarden especially for Derek so we could take him outside to enjoy the fragrance have suddenly bloomed. They hadn’t bloomed all summer.
‘I’m enjoying the amazing fragrance combined with the mint and raising a cup of tea for Derek. Honey, we did it. Your beautiful daughter is on her way to the next stage of her life thanks to your love and guidance, and you will live on through it.
‘Love to everyone and #happysaturday to everyone!’
