Three quarters of a million fans packed the streets of central London to welcome back the team that reclaimed England's sporting pride.
The rugby World Cup squad paraded on open-topped buses from Marble Arch to Trafalgar Square, where Ken Livingstone awarded them the Freedom of London.
Later it was tea with the Queen, then on to a champagne reception in Downing Street.
Our Home Affairs Editor Mark Easton was out on the streets among the revellers to witness English rugby's finest hour:
Today was written the final page of a boy's own story - of the team which took on the world and with the scores level and virtually the last kick of the final game, summoned victory and carried the glory home.
The spirit of Trafalgar was alive in the square, as up to three quarters of a million English men and women saluted their returning heroes.
The victory parade weaved its way through central London, from Marble Arch to Trafalgar Square, The line-out to greet the rugby stars was two miles long -every vantage point occupied by ecstatic fans.
With temperatures close to zero it was the warmth of the welcome that convinced the players to dispense with their coats - that and a warning that anyone in an anorak would be labelled a wimp.
Kids had bunked off school, workers on a sicky, pensioners on an outing. All hoping to gather a little bit of the stardust falling from England's rugby squad.
Having been given the freedom of the city of London - as if they needed it - the team then set off for tea with the Queen.
It was a slightly incongruous ceremony which explained why Her Majesty has never been picked as a number eight.
She is also Queen of Australia, of course, but she didn't labour the fact. The Webb Ellis Trophy had to leave - an important drinks do in Downing Street.
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