Kate Middleton Sent a 'Beautiful Letter' amid Surgery Recovery to Comfort TV Host Whose Husband Died

"I just think it was lovely of them to reach out to me," Kate Garraway said of the messages she received from the royal family

Kate Middleton reached out to a British broadcaster grieving the death of her husband amid her recovery from abdominal surgery.

On Monday, Kate Garraway made the revelation on Good Morning Britain during her first appearance on the show following the death of her husband Derek Draper. Draper died in January at age 56 following complications from COVID-19, which he contracted in March 2020, and was laid to rest last Friday.

Garraway joined GMB from home and expressed her thanks for the outpouring of condolences from viewers, plus she revealed that she received messages from David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Princess Kate, Prince William and King Charles.

“And from the royal family — Catherine and William sent a beautiful letter, and I know Catherine has been in hospital herself,” Garraway said, Hello! magazine reported. “Even the King — because there is somebody [who] knows about grief — that anticipatory grief where you know something has a risk of happening and how different it is when it does happen.”

Related: Prince William Returns to Public Duties as Wife Kate Middleton Continues Recovery from Surgery

According to the outlet, the presenter said she had been “sort of sworn to secrecy” about the contents of the correspondence from the royals but spoke about what the gesture meant.

"I just think it was lovely of them to reach out to me," Garraway said, per Hello! magazine. "But it's lovely to know that those people understand those emotions. I think for all of us, it connects us all together."

Draper previously worked as a political advisor and psychotherapist and was believed to be one of the longest-suffering COVID patients in the U.K., spending 13 months in the hospital, according to Sky News. He accompanied his wife when she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle in June 2023, where she accepted the award from Prince William.

Garraway was recognized for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity. She has also used her platform to shine a light on the complications of COVID and her family’s experience.

The broadcaster created the National Television Award-winning documentaries Kate Garraway: Finding Derek and Kate Garraway: Caring For Derek about her husband’s health journey and their family life.

The couple wed in 2005 and share daughter Darcey, 17, and son Billy, 14.

Related: King Charles Waves to Well-Wishers as He's Seen for First Time Since Leaving the Hospital

While the journalist stayed mum on the sympathies from the royal family, the update came on the same day it was confirmed Prince William is heading back to work after taking time off to help care for Princess Kate.

The Princess of Wales, 42, left the hospital last Monday nearly two weeks after having abdominal surgery, which was announced by Kensington Palace the following day.

During that time and since her discharge, Prince William, 41, has been helping look after their three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, at the family home, Adelaide Cottage, on the Windsor Castle estate.

And it is at Windsor that Prince William is to host his first public outing since the surgery when he undertakes a morning of investitures on behalf of King Charles — who is also recuperating after his own operation for an enlarged prostate — on Wednesday.

The event will see Prince William reward members of the public and other prominent people with honors that are awarded at New Year or to mark the monarch's birthday.

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Later on Wednesday, the Prince of Wales is also scheduled to honor one of his key interests by attending the annual fundraising gala for the London Air Ambulance.

William, who was an air ambulance pilot for around two years in East Anglia, focuses much of his attention on highlighting the work of the airborne medical teams and the other emergency services and became patron of the organization four years ago

The royal family has provided no recent update on the progress of Princess Kate as she recovers from her operation. Kensington Palace said she "is making good progress" when she left the hospital on Jan. 29.

“I’m sure she’s utterly exhausted, but she’ll recover well,” royal biographer Ingrid Seward exclusively tells PEOPLE in this week's issue.

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