Declan Rice will have his longterm partner cheering him on against Argentina at the World Cup on Wednesday
Declan Rice.
Declan Rice has been with his partner since he was a teenager(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
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England midfield linchpin Declan Rice has been with childhood sweetheart Lauren Fryer for over a decade, and the pair have an ever-strengthening relationship.
They began dating as teenagers in school and have been together ever since, having their first child, Jude, in August 2022, but Fryer has faced relentless online abuse and body-shaming, which coincided with the 27-year-old deactivating her social media accounts at the end of 2023.
The former West Ham United man has been starring alongside Elliot Anderson at the heart of England’s midfield at the World Cup this summer and after coming off due to a sickness bug at half-time against Norway, Rice is expected to return to action in Wednesday’s spine-tingling semi-final with Argentina.
Fryer and Rice, from Chessington and Kingston upon Thames respectively, attended Grey Court School in south-west London and fell in love aged 17 when he was rising up the ranks at West Ham’s academy.
Rice’s rapid climb to prominence, from guiding the Hammers to UEFA Europa Conference League glory in 2023 to proving his £100 million price tag in his switch to Arsenal, had led to the couple staying far away from the spotlight which comes with being a highly-acclaimed England international.
They have bucked the trend with some of England’s biggest stars in recent years like David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Jamie Vardy being marred by off-field antics with their partners. Although Fryer and Rice have been spotted out on holiday in Ibiza and enjoying concerts at Reading Festival, they aren’t seen in the public eye frequently.
Speaking with The Sun in 2019, Rice poignantly expressed the love he has for his childhood sweetheart: "Lauren is the love of my life and there is no one better for me."
Declan Rice and Lauren Fryer.
Rice's partner has been subjected to horrendous online abuse(Image: Instagram/laurenfryer_)
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Dani Dyer, who married Rice’s former West Ham teammate Jarrord Bowen last year, defended the online harassment and abuse in an interview by HELLO! Magazine in June 2024.
"I think it's harder when you are not in (the celebrity world) and you are being personally attacked," she admitted.
"I found that hard, she is a really good mum, who keeps to herself. No one deserves to be criticised like that, it was so cruel.
"We didn't speak about it a lot but what we did talk about is how she is so nice and so great and looks absolutely gorgeous. Plus, she's Dec's childhood sweetheart and you can see how much he adores her."
A key component of Rice’s childhood was his bromance with now-Manchester United playmaker Mason Mount with the pair growing up together in Chelsea’s academy.
James Maddison, Mason Mount and Declan Rice of England inspect the pitch prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 quarter final match between England and France at Al Bayt Stadium on December 10, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar.
Rice's friendship with Mason Mount worried his partner(Image: Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
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The pair went their separate ways, with Mount becoming a first-team regular at Stamford Bridge while Rice joined West Ham after being released, but maintained their strong bond particularly when on international duty.
Rice jokingly said in 2019 how his tight relationship with the former Derby County loanee has made Fyrer question his fidelity.
"My missus is quite worried," he said. "I’m genuinely being serious, she’s quite worried.
"Oh she’s just always: ‘You two... you love him more than you love me,’ honestly. We just get it in the neck all the time but they need to understand the friendship."
Fyrer maintains a low-profile on her Instagram account with 120,000 followers with no posts, preferring to keep herself anonymous. Love Island 2021 contestant Liberty Poole came out in support of Fyrer, drawing upon how social media has fueled a devastating spiral of abuse in society.
"I think she's beautiful, this is crazy," she said. "What happened to celebrating different body types and embracing how we are all individually made?
Lauren Fryer.
Lauren will be in the crowd watching on (Image: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
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"Beauty standards these days are unrealistic and everyone's gone mad because of social media. I'll keep preaching about it till I die, time for change, this can't continue."
The abhorrent abuse Fryer has faced, both online and from the stands from opposing fans, nearly led to her missing the World Cup because of the distress it could cause to the family.
Nonetheless, she has been seen with three-year-old Jude at the Three Lions matches in North America as they aim to reach a first showpiece final since 1966 on Wednesday.
Fryer is Rice’s biggest supporter and the unwavering love they have with each other is emblematic of their incredibly tight-knit relationship.