Jess Carter, one of the stars of the Lionesses’ sensational Euro 2025 triumph, will miss the scenes of celebration during the team’s open top bus parade.
Having also been unable to attend the Downing Street drinks reception, the centre-back is going to be a no-show for the parade beginning down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace at 12:10pm on Tuesday.
Duty calls for the 27-year-old – who had to fly back to the US to prepare for her next club game.
She plays for Gotham FC and they are set to take on Chicago Stars on Saturday.
The club want their key defender back in training as soon as possible, meaning her missing the frivolities back in London with her international team-mates.
One consolation for Carter, who will have to watch her team-mates lap up the acclaim of the thousands set to take to the streets, is that she will be reunited with her other half.
Jess Carter takes a moment for the incredible triumph of Euro 2025 to sink in
Fans have been arriving since the early hours – and are already packing out The Mall closest to the stage for the parade but Carter will no be present
Carter, seen here with Gotham team-mate and partner Ann-Katrin Berger (left) has had to return to the US for club duties
She is in a relationship with German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who also plays for Gotham in the US.
Berger was knocked out of Euro 2025 by Spain at the semi-final stage before England went on to beat them on penalties in a dramatic final that ended 1-1 after extra time.
The Lionesses returned to a heroes welcome on Monday, jetting back to Southend Airport before heading to Downing Street and posing outside on a red carpet
The squad were then hosted in the garden for a drinks reception by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock.
Fans noticed Carter was not in attendance and now the reason has been revealed, although it was not the same for all the players who ply their trade in the US.
Anna Moorhouse, goalkeeper for Orlando and Esme Morgan, defender for Washington, were permitted by their clubs to stay and revel in the celebrations.
Carter’s triumph at the Euros came after she was victim of racist abuse online during the tournament and she admitted feeling scared to play for the first time in her life.
After the final victory, she said: ‘I was super scared of playing the final for the first time in my life.
The England defender missed the Downing Street drinks and will also miss the parade
The team flew back to the UK on Monday before a drinks reception outside No 10
‘When I woke up in the morning and saw my team and saw the support I had – and the belief I had from my team-mates, manager and family – I could come out and give my all. That’s all you can do.
‘It’s incredible, the fans have been incredible all tournament and we couldn’t have done this without them. We’re so grateful for them and this moment.
‘Giving up is not in our DNA. We have stuck together from minute one. I couldn’t be prouder of this team and I’m so honoured to be proud of it.
‘I’m more disappointed in my previous performances than anyone else.’
Carter’s team-mate Lucy Bronze had called on social media companies to take action over online trolls after Carter was racially abused.
Carter said she had received a ‘lot’ of online hate after the quarter-final game against Sweden and announced that she was stepping away from social media.
Full back Bronze, 33, subsequently launched a fiery condemnation of the vile comments aimed at Carter and revealed abuse has been on the rise in the women’s game as it has grown in popularity.
‘We all know that any player of colour who’s played for England has probably gone through racist abuse. That’s a sad fact in this day and age,’ said Bronze.
The FA contacted UK police after hearing of the racist abuse Carter had been subjected to
Carter said she had received a ‘lot’ of online hate after the quarter-final game
‘(We’re feeling) anger and sadness that our team-mate has gone through this. We don’t want it to happen. We want to be focused on the football.’
The team and Carter managed to do just that with an epic back-to-back European Championship win.
Led by inspirational manager Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses came home with the trophy despite not being at their best for much of the tournament.
At Downing Street on Monday, she said: ‘I have to make my apologies (for giving) you lots of heart attacks. You all made it through and we made it through and that’s why we’re here now.
‘The team is just incredible, we won the Euros but making the final, we’re already legendary, what the team has done and the team behind the team.
‘Thank you so much for having us here. It’s very, very special to be here and to be in this very nice garden with the way you set it up with all these pictures, it makes it more special, it’s the first moment it sinks in a little bit because it was surreal what happened last night.’
Wiegman and Co will have a chance to show off their silverware to the crowds in London on Tuesday afternoon unfortunately without Carter with them.
The route of the open top bus will conclude with a staged ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace at approximately 12.30pm.
