England heroes will feature in new year honours list
Final was biggest TV event of year with 16 million viewers
Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton are expected to be awarded MBEs with England’s Lionesses set to be lavished with nominations in the new year honours list following their historic European Championship victory.
Sarina Wiegman’s squad were widely honoured after winning the European title for the first time three years ago, with the captain Leah Williamson named as an OBE and Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead and Ellen White receiving MBEs. The stand-in captain Millie Bright was awarded an OBE while Mary Earps and Lauren Hemp got MBEs after England reached the World Cup final 12 months later.
Kelly missed out in 2022 despite scoring England’s match-winning goal in their extra-time win over Germany in the final and providing the tournament’s iconic moment with her celebration, an oversight that is expected to be corrected by Downing Street in the next honour list. The nomination process for honours is managed by the Cabinet Office, with Kelly and Hampton regarded as shoo-ins for the way they have thrilled a nation who have been glued to the Euros for much of the summer, with tens of millions of people watching on BBC and ITV.
