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”.
Advertisement
“We have now got a car parking ticket of £70-80, maybe more.”
Image: England fans await the arrival of the England Women’s team at London Heathrow Airport
Image: 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 Wiegmanin 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.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
2:28
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.
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.
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”.
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”.
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.
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.
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.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
2:49
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
Related Topics:
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.
Image: 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”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
1:11
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.
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.
He said: “Autistic people seem to be most vulnerable to this kind of sort of poison and, you know, wanting to take their lives.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
4:05
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.”
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.”
Image: 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.