Queen’s funeral could see one of the largest TV audiences for decades

The funeral of Queen Elizabeth II is more likely to entice one of many largest UK tv audiences of current a long time.

A benchmark for comparability is the funeral service for Diana, Princess of Wales on September 6, 1997, which was watched by a mean of 32.1 million folks, together with 19.3 million on BBC One and 11.7 million on ITV.

No royal occasion since then has come near matching such large scores.

The marriage on April 29, 2011 of the then Prince William and Kate Middleton attracted a mean viewers of 13.6 million on BBC One and 4.0 million on ITV.

Members of the royal household on the funeral of the Queen Mom at Westminster Abbey in 2002 (PA)

Protection of the funeral of the Queen Mom on April 9, 2002 – a working day – was seen by a mean of 5.1 million folks on BBC One, whereas 2.7 million selected ITV.

Extra lately, a mean of 6.8 million watched BBC One’s protection of the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh on April 17, 2021 – greater than twice the quantity for ITV.

Rankings information is printed by the viewers analysis organisation Barb.

Comparable figures start in August 1981, which means there isn't a correct or dependable information for earlier occasions.

A bearer get together from the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars locations Sir Winston Churchill’s coffin within the funeral prepare at Waterloo Station in London on January 30, 1965 (PA)

For instance, the BBC mentioned the state funeral in January 1965 of former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill was watched by 20 million folks by itself community and solely 5 million on ITV, however this was primarily based on the BBC’s personal viewers analysis and was not independently verified.

A mixed UK TV viewers of over 20 million is probably going for the Queen’s funeral on September 19, primarily based on scores for equally high-profile current events.

The opening and shutting ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Video games each topped the 20 million mark (24.2 million and 24.5 million respectively on BBC One), as did the ultimate of the Euro 2020 soccer championship on July 11 2021 (a mixed whole of twenty-two.5 million for BBC One and ITV), and the announcement by former prime minister Boris Johnson on March 23, 2020 of the primary Covid-19 lockdown (28.2 million throughout six channels).

The Queen delivered an tackle to the nation through the first Covid-19 lockdown on April 5, 2020 (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)

The Queen’s televised tackle through the Covid lockdown on April 5, 2020, wherein she echoed Dame Vera Lynn’s wartime tune and informed the nation “we are going to meet once more”, was watched by 24.3 million throughout seven channels.

All figures are consolidated scores, which means they embrace individuals who recorded and watched a broadcast as much as seven days later – the trade customary for measuring TV audiences.

Protection of the Queen’s funeral will likely be on a vastly bigger scale than that organised for her father, King George VI.

The King’s funeral on February 15, 1952 came about at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Fort and was not televised, although the BBC had cameras outdoors to document photos for a newsreel transmitted that night.

A prepare bearing the coffin of King George VI passes on the way in which to Windsor on February 15, 1952 (PA)

The complete funeral service, together with the King’s journey from Westminster Corridor the place he had been mendacity in state, was described to listeners of BBC radio.

The Queen’s funeral is going down at Westminster Abbey and is because of start at 11am on Monday.

BBC One will broadcast uninterrupted protection of the funeral from 8am to 5pm, with ITV’s protection beginning at 9.30am.