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The Lionesses landed at Heathrow this morning after their World Cup defeat – but left waiting fans disappointed after leaving through a private exit.

England’s players left Sydney more than 24 hours before landing at Heathrow at around 6.20am on Tuesday morning.

Waiting fans had carried signs and gathered in the airport to greet the Women’s World Cup runners-up, with hopes raised when the team’s bags were wheeled through Terminal 3’s arrivals hall.

BBC commentator and former player Alex Scott was also spotted walking through the airport, but members of the team itself were nowhere to be seen.

Airport staff eventually told waiting fans the team had left already.

Joanne Bruce, 51, travelled from Cambridgeshire at 10.30pm last night with her niece and sister, in the hope of thanking the team for their performance.

“We haven’t slept, we have just laughed and joked,” she said.

“It was just the three of us to start with. My sister was like ‘I really want to go early’.”

She added other fans “didn’t come until about four o’clock this morning”.

“We have now got a car parking ticket of £70-80, maybe more.”

England fans await the arrival of the England Women's team at London Heathrow Airport
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England fans await the arrival of the England Women’s team at London Heathrow Airport

Airport staff with luggage pass through arrivals as England fans await the arrival of the England Women's team at London Heathrow Airport. Sarina Wiegman...s side lost 1-0 to Spain in a tight match in Sydney on Sunday. Picture date: Tuesday August 22, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER England. Photo credit should read: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire...RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
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Airport staff with luggage pass through arrivals

The team lost 1-0 at a packed-out Stadium Australia in Sydney in the World Cup final on Sunday, failing to repeat their success at Euros 2022.

It was Spain’s first major international trophy – and England’s first competitive defeat under manager Sarina Wiegman in two years.

What’s next for the team?

The squad will regroup next month for its first tilt at the newly-formed UEFA Women’s Nations League – with their first match against Scotland taking place at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland on 22 September.

The final of the league will determine which European nations qualify for the women’s football tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with both the winners and runners-up qualifying for the Games.

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How the world reacted

The Nations League and the return of the Women’s Premier League the following month will provide an early chance to see if there is a World Cup bounce in public interest in the women’s game.

Interest in the Lionesses has not wavered despite their loss in the final.

Thousands have rallied to sign a petition calling on Nike to make a replica of Mary Earps’ shirt.

The England goalkeeper was voted the best keeper at the tournament and saved a penalty in the final, and Google Trends found online searches for her shirt rose 257% in a week.

More than 73,000 people have signed a petition after the manufacturer failed to include her kit in its selection of replica shirts printed with the names of the outfield players.

Nike has said it will re-think its approach in the future.

Read more:
FA chief apologises after kissing player on lips
Analysis: Lionesses can turn sorrow into springboard for success

Devastated Lionesses fan

The prime minister and the Prince of Wales, who is president of the Football Association, were both criticised for not flying to Australia to see the squad play in the final.

A minister said Rishi Sunak “would have loved to have been there” but was too busy to go.

Education Minister Claire Coutinho told Sky News there was sufficient high-level representation at the match, as both the foreign secretary and sport secretary were in the stands.

“I know that the prime minister would have loved to have been there but he’s also got a huge amount of work to do,” Ms Coutinho said.

She denied that Mr Sunak would have gone if it had been the men’s team, saying “his schedule is so busy”.

Soccer Football - FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Final - Spain v England - Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia - August 20, 2023 Spain players celebrate with the trophy after winning the World Cup REUTERS/Carl Recine

The prime minister said he watched the game at his local pub in Northallerton and praised the Lionesses for leaving “an incredible set of memories” and inspiring “a whole generation of youngsters”.

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Lingering dread over what else about Prince Andrew could still emerge

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Lingering dread over what else about Prince Andrew could still emerge

Just a cursory glance at the headlines, and it’s clear the disgrace and downfall of Prince Andrew is not over.

So what next for the man and the monarchy?

The King might have hoped his involvement showed direct action had been taken.

He certainly does not want any distraction from his upcoming state visit to the Vatican.

But that might be wishful thinking.

Now the Met Police has been dragged in too. Forced to look into reports in the Mail on Sunday that Andrew asked his protection officer to smear his accuser, Virginia Giuffre.

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Police ‘looking into’ Andrew claims

The prince allegedly wanted his officer “to dig up dirt” and told an aide at the palace what he had done.

More on Prince Andrew

Let’s be clear: back then, Andrew’s security was funded by the taxpayer.

So are we reaching the endgame, and what does that look like?

Andrew might have given up the use of his title, Duke of York, and other honours too.

Read more:
Call for Prince Andrew to ‘live in exile’

How Prince Andrew allegations unfolded
Everything we know about titles decision

But what about his style ‘prince’? Some want that ditched too.

It’s a complicated but not impossible process. Andrew could, of course, just stop using it voluntarily.

Some want him to give up his home, too. For a non-working royal, the stately Royal Lodge, with its plum position on the Windsor Estate, is an uncomfortable optic.

Andrew’s wider family is worried. The Sunday Times has reported that the Prince of Wales wants him cut off completely.

With the reputation of the monarchy at risk, William does not want to appear weak. He’s putting loyalty to “the firm” firmly above his familial relationships.

Prince Andrew has always strongly denied the allegations, and restated on Friday: “I vigorously deny the accusations against me”. Sky News has approached him for comment on the fresh allegations set out in the Mail on Sunday.

But with Virginia Giuffre’s tragic death and posthumous memoir due out on Tuesday, Buckingham Palace will be braced for more scandal.

When Andrew gave up his titles, there was certainly a sense of relief.

There is now a sense of dread over what else could emerge.

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Why Andrew hasn’t given up being a prince – amid call for him to ‘live in exile’

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Why Andrew hasn't given up being a prince - amid call for him to 'live in exile'

Sky News’ royal commentator has explained why Prince Andrew has not given up being called a prince – while another expert has said “the decent thing” for him to do would be “go into exile” overseas.

Andrew announced on Friday that he would stop using his Duke of York title and relinquish all other honours, including his role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

However, he will continue to be known as a prince.

Royal commentator Alastair Bruce said that while Andrew’s other honours and titles were conferred to him later in life, he became a prince when he was born to Elizabeth II while she was queen.

He told presenter Kamali Melbourne: “I think […] that style was quite special to the late Queen,” he said. “And perhaps the King, for the moment, thinks that can be left alone.

“It’s a matter really for the King, for the royal household, perhaps with the guidance and advice of government, which I’m sure they are taking.”

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Who pushed Andrew to drop his titles?

Since Andrew’s announcement, there has been speculation over whether any further measures will be taken – and one author has now called for him to “go into exile”.

More on Prince Andrew

Andrew Lownie, author of The Rise And Fall Of The House Of York, said: “The only way the story will go away is if he leaves Royal Lodge, goes into exile abroad with his ex-wife, and is basically stripped of all his honours, including Prince Andrew.”

Royal Lodge is the Windsor mansion Andrew lives in with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who has also lost her Duchess of York title.

Andrew and his former wife continue to live on the Windsor estate. Pic: Reuters
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Andrew and his former wife continue to live on the Windsor estate. Pic: Reuters

Mr Lownie continued: “He makes out he’s an honourable man and he’s putting country and family first. Well, if he is, then the optics look terrible for the monarchy. A non-working royal in a 30-room Crown Estate property with a peppercorn rent.

“He should do the decent thing and go. And frankly, he should go into exile.”

Mr Lownie added if the Royal Family “genuinely want to cut links, they have to put pressure on him to voluntarily get out”.

Read more from Sky News:
How Prince Andrew allegations unfolded
William and Camilla’s influential roles

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Windsor’s take on Prince Andrew

Andrew’s decision to stop using his titles was announced amid renewed scrutiny of his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and fresh stories linked to the late Virginia Giuffre.

Ms Giuffre, who was trafficked by Epstein, alleged she was sexually assaulted by Andrew on three occasions – which he has always vigorously denied.

The former duke paid to settle a civil sexual assault case with Ms Giuffre in 2022, despite insisting he had never met her.

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Families whose loved ones took their lives after buying poison online write to PM

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Families whose loved ones took their lives after buying poison online write to PM

Bereaved families whose loved ones took their own lives after buying the same poison online have written to the prime minister demanding urgent action.

Warning: This article contains references to suicide

The group claims there have been “multiple missed opportunities” to shut down online forums that promote suicide and dangerous substances.

They warn that over 100 people have died after purchasing a particular poison in the last 10 years.

Among those who have written to Downing Street is Pete Aitken, whose daughter Hannah was 22 when she took her own life after buying the poison from a website.

Hannah was autistic and had ADHD. She was treated in six different mental health hospitals over a four-year period.

Mr Aitken recently spoke to Sky News around the second anniversary of Hannah’s death.

More on Mental Health

He said: “Autistic people seem to be most vulnerable to this kind of sort of poison and, you know, wanting to take their lives.”

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Pete Aitken speaking to Sky News

Sky News is not naming the poison, but Hannah was able to buy a kilogram of it online. Just one gram is potentially fatal.

“There’s this disparity between the concentration required for its legitimate use and that required for ending your life. And it seems quite clear you could make a distinction,” Mr Aitken said.

Analysis from the Molly Rose Foundation and the group Families and Survivors to Prevent Online Suicide Harms says at least 133 people have died because of the poison. It also says coroners have written warnings about the substance on 65 separate occasions.

The report accuses the Home Office of failing to strengthen the regulation of the poison and says not enough is being done to close dangerous suicide forums online.

Lawyers representing the group want a public inquiry into the deaths.

In a joint letter to the prime minister, the families said: “We write as families whose loved ones were let down by a state that was too slow to respond to the threat.

“This series of failings requires a statutory response, not just to understand why our loved ones died but also to prevent more lives being lost in a similar way.”

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The group’s lawyer, Merry Varney, from Leigh Day, said: “The government is rightly committed to preventing deaths through suicide, yet despite repeated warnings of the risks posed by an easily accessible substance, fatal in small quantities and essentially advertised on online forums, no meaningful steps have been taken.”

Hannah's dad is one of the family members to have signed the letter
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Hannah’s dad is one of the family members to have signed the letter

A government spokesperson said: “Suicide devastates families and we are unequivocal about the responsibilities online services have to keep people safe on their platforms.

“Under the Online Safety Act, services must take action to prevent users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content and ensure children are protected from harmful content that promotes it.

“If they fail to do so, they can expect to face robust enforcement, including substantial fines.”

They added that the position is “closely monitored and reportable under the Poisons Act, meaning retailers must alert authorities if they suspect it is being bought to cause harm”.

“We will continue to keep dangerous substances under review to ensure the right safeguards are in place,” they said.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

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