England's women’s football team were met with thunderous cheers and waves of red and white as thousands gathered in central London on Monday to celebrate their historic Euro 2025 victory.
In a dazzling open-top bus parade along The Mall, the Lionesses marked their second consecutive European Championship title after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Spain in Basel. The victory makes England the first nation to win back-to-back Women’s Euros and the first international English team to win a major tournament overseas, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Princess Beatrice attended the parade with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and their children — Sienna, Athena, and Christopher — unofficially representing the royal family. The family joined the jubilant crowd near Buckingham Palace, where thousands waved flags and sang It’s Coming Home and Sweet Caroline.
Athena, born prematurely earlier this year, was carried in a baby carrier, while three-year-old Sienna proudly waved a hand-drawn England flag.
Captain Leah Williamson, visibly emotional, lifted the trophy from the top of the team bus to roaring applause.
“I've been crying all the way down The Mall,” Williamson told the crowd at the Queen Victoria Memorial. “This is unbelievable… probably one of the best things we’ve ever, ever been a part of.”
She praised her teammates as “special, special people” and spoke of the team's unity in the face of adversity:
“We had tough moments, nasty things to deal with — and still we rise.”
Striker Alessia Russo, who scored the equaliser in the final, said the atmosphere was "just surreal."
“To see this many people come out — in London, at the gates of Buckingham Palace — it’s just crazy. I’d never have dreamed of anything like it.”
Meanwhile, Chloe Kelly thanked fans for their unwavering support and called the squad “incredible.”
Manager Sarina Wiegman, who has now won three Women’s Euros, was surprised on stage by her favorite artist, Burna Boy, prompting cheers from both the players and the crowd.
The celebration ended with flares, fireworks, and dancing as the team shared a final moment with their fans outside Buckingham Palace.
Following Monday's Downing Street reception hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, royal aides are reportedly planning an official reception for the team at either Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle later this year.
