| Dear Reader,
It was not the ending we wanted at Wembley's Euro 2020 final, but this is an exciting young England team who have redefined what their nation thinks of the Three Lions. Still, the penalty pain goes on. Twenty-five years ago, it was Gareth Southgate who took and missed the spot kick that sent England out of Euro '96. Last night, it was 19-year-old Bukayo Saka who stepped up hoping to keep England in the shootout – and missed. Sam Wallace asks if such responsibility really should have fallen to someone so young? You can follow the latest reaction on our live blog.
It wasn’t all celebrations and unity last night, however. A number of ticketless fans attempted to break into Wembley by storming past stewards. Ben Rumsby gives a first-hand account of the "shambolic" security and pandemic failures evident at the stadium.
Today the Prime Minister is setting out what “Freedom Day” on July 19 will look like, and it seems we may in fact see some guidance remain, such as for mask-wearing and working from home.
As for the restrictions, is the BBC's coverage of the pandemic having an influence? Janet Daley uses her column to argue that the national broadcaster is setting itself up in direct conflict with newspapers in an effort to control the media narrative.
Repeated lockdowns may have driven more urbanites to seek solace in the British countryside, but the tale of city-dwellers in the country is much older than that. The Cotswolds have long been popular for those searching for an idyllic rural life, but it has come at a cost, says Georgina Fuller. She writes of how gentrification has ruined the Cotswolds she grew up in.
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Few homes in Britain still have house staff and butlers, and to think of it might bring back memories of Upstairs, Downstairs or Downton Abbey. The royal estates might retain those traditional roles, but it’s a far cry from class-straitened times. Alicia Healey once worked at Balmoral and Buckingham Palace, and tells the true story of what it’s like to be a royal housemaid.
Chris
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