England's Lionesses Parade in London After Historic Victory
England's triumphant Lionesses celebrated their historic Euro 2025 victory with a spectacular parade through London, drawing an impressive crowd of 65,000 fans along The Mall - including members of the Royal Family.
The newly crowned back-to-back European champions rode an open-top bus after their dramatic final victory over Spain, culminating in a special gathering outside Buckingham Palace.
Emotional Celebrations at Buckingham Palace
Fans packed the iconic route before gathering around a stage near the Queen Victoria Memorial, where players shared their joy with former Lioness Alex Scott.
"I've been crying all the way down The Mall," confessed captain Leah Williamson. "This is unbelievable, probably one of the best things we've been a part of."
The Arsenal defender added: "We're making history every single step. Stay with us, this story is not done yet."
Star Players Reflect on Historic Achievement
Chloe Kelly, scorer of both the 2022 winning goal and Sunday's decisive penalty, quipped: "Pressure, what pressure?" The forward reflected on the team's incredible support throughout the tournament.
"[It is] so good to stand side by side with every single one of these girls throughout the whole tournament, and the staff that you don't see behind the scenes. It's incredible."
Royal Recognition and Surprise Celebrity Appearance
The celebration saw royal attendance from Princess Beatrice of York and an unforgettable moment for coach Sarina Wiegman when her favorite artist, Burna Boy, joined the team on stage.
Washington Spirit defender Esme Morgan shared: "Yeah, Sarina's got rhythm... Her face when they brought Burna Boy out was a picture. None of us could believe it to be honest."
Overwhelming Fan Support Exceeds Expectations
Morgan revealed the team's initial concerns about turnout: "A few of us said 'we hope the parade is not the full length of The Mall because there might not be enough people to fill it'... but we showed up today and it was absolutely packed."
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham confirmed: "The players kept asking 'do you think people will really come?'... the British public are just incredible and really did us proud today."
From Childhood Dreams to Making History
Chelsea defender Niamh Charles shared her emotional journey: "If I think back to the younger me that came to visit Buckingham Palace, I never would have thought that I would be stood here now... it is crazy to think this is the reality of women's football now."
Describing the parade experience, she added: "There were so many people but I just wanted to look at individual faces... They were just so happy to be there and it was so lovely to be able to share this with them."
Looking Ahead to World Cup 2027
After their Downing Street reception and these historic celebrations, the Lionesses now set their sights on the 2027 World Cup, determined to improve on their 2023 final performance against Spain.