Swifties camp outside Wembley Stadium overnight as Taylor Swift fever hits London
Taylor Swift fever broke out in London on Friday with hundreds of super fans camping outside Wembley to be first into the stadium for her opening show.
The superstar is playing three sold-out London dates this weekend before returning for a further five shows in August.
The first fans arrived on Tuesday, with some sleeping in tents or huddling in blankets as they queued overnight for the record-breaking Eras Tour to finally come to the capital.
Thousands more joined the queue this morning in the hope of getting near the front for tonight’s show, although those with VIP packages were ushered into the stadium by security guards at just after 8am.
The Swifties have travelled from all over the world for the gig with some dressing up in outfits inspired by her videos.
Megan Campbell, 26, who works for the police and had travelled from Birmingham, said: “It’s amazing to be here. Taylor is such a great example of female empowerment. I love country music and that’s how I got into her.
“I’m just so excited to be here. It was like a war to get tickets online but now I’m here it’s all worth it.”
Kira Nurse, 24, a PHD student said: “She sends out such a positive message to women. The message and the lyrics are spot on.”
Albert Atkinson, who was dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit and handcuffs in a nod to Swift’s song Fresh out of the Slammer, said: “She’s great, I’m a relatively new Swiftie but I like the music and thought I’d make the effort today.”
Jeevon Grewal, 23, wore a white tuxedo and gold crown in a prom King outfit in reference to her song Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince.
He said: “I like the song and I love Taylor, I’m so excited for the gig I can’t wait.”
Luna Musch, 30, from the Netherlands was seeing Swift for the first time. She said: “I can’t believe I’m here - I love her and her music. She is so positive. Her talent is just incredible.”
The US superstar has already played shows in Edinburgh, Liverpool and Cardiff and arrives at Wembley Stadium amid a frenzy of fan excitement.
UK fans had waited more than a year for the tour to arrive, since Swift kicked-off her marathon string of dates in Glendale, Arizona, in March last year.
Since then, she has crossed the US, Asia and South America and made stops across Europe, often accompanied by her boyfriend, the NFL star Travis Kelce.
She played three sold-out shows at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh earlier this month, followed by three at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool and one night at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
A report this week predicted that the London concerts will boost the capital’s economy by £300 million.
The 640,000 fans set to attend the eight Wembley shows are estimated to spend an average of £471 when they come to the capital, according to the study by the Greater London Authority.
