Sarina Wiegman has been awarded an honorary damehood after guiding England to back-to-back European titles, in a new year honours list dominated by the Lionesses and England’s victorious women’s rugby union team.
The Red Roses’ World Cup success on home soil has led to captain Zoe Aldcroft, vice-captain Marlie Packer, and head coach John Mitchell being named OBEs, while Megan Jones, Sadia Kabeya and Ellie Kildunne become MBEs.
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have been honoured with a damehood and a knighthood for services to skating and voluntary service, more than 40 years after their gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics. July’s triumph for Wiegman’s Lionesses also means captain Leah Williamson has been named an OBE, and teammates Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone and Keira Walsh have received MBEs.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “It has been an historic year for women’s sport and I could not be more pleased to congratulate our Red Roses and Lionesses on their new year’s honours. To have two England teams – in two of our most loved sports – win major tournaments in the space of a few months was just extraordinary.”
Wiegman, who has overseen England’s run to three consecutive major finals, said: “I would like to express my sincere gratitude for this honour. When I first arrived in England, I could never have imagined the respect and warmth I’ve experienced from the English people.” As a Dutchwoman, she is ineligible for the title of dame, hence the honorary nature of her award.
