Unless they’re on Branson’s space rocket, there’s no good reason for Wills and Rishi not to fly out to cheer on the Lionesses

Come on lads, get on that plane to Sydney for the World Cup final on Sunday, writes Tom Peck. It’s the only first-class ticket we won’t begrudge you

Just the thought of the pictures: the prime minister and the future king striding out to the spacecraft. What a wasted opportunity (PA)

Virgin Galactic took its first passengers into space this week. The company isn’t British any more, but its boss, Richard Branson, is.

It almost feels as though the timing was deliberate. Rishi Sunak says he hasn’t got time to fly to Australia to watch the Lionesses take on Spain on Sunday. The Prince of Wales, who is also the president of the (English) Football Association, says he’s not going to – for reasons on which he has not expanded.

Branson has been boasting for a while that in a few years’ time, you’ll be able to fly on his rocket ship from London to Australia in two hours. So, put your money where your mouth is, Dicky, and get Wills and Rishi out there.