Deborah Chan
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018 was one of the most-viewed TV events of the year. An estimated 29 million people tuned in to watch the ceremony across 15 different broadcast and cable networks. In the UK, about 18 million people watched, most of them watching the BBC’s coverage. In the US, the wedding was carried live from approximately 7:00 a.m. ET to 8:15 a.m. ET on 15 networks. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex tied the knot on 19 May, with around 1,900 guests invited to the religious ceremony and 600 people invited to a luncheon at Buckingham Palace.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the wedding | 19 May 2018 |
| Number of viewers | 29 million |
| Number of households that watched | 23.7 million |
| Number of guests invited to the religious ceremony | 1,900 |
| Number of guests invited to the luncheon at Buckingham Palace | 600 |
| Number of guests who attended the church ceremony | 600 |
| Number of guests invited to the evening reception at Frogmore House | 200 |
| Number of members of the public who watched inside Windsor Castle's grounds | 2,640 |
| TV networks that aired the wedding | ABC, BBC America, CBS, CNN, CNNe, E!, Fox News Channel, HLN, MSNBC, NBC, PBS, Telemundo, TLC, Univision |
| Social media interactions | 6.9 million across Facebook and Twitter |
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What You'll Learn
Harry and Meghan's wedding had 29 million viewers
On Saturday, 19 May 2018, an estimated 29 million viewers tuned in to watch the royal wedding of Prince Harry of Wales and American actress Meghan Markle. The wedding ceremony was carried live from approximately 7:00 a.m. ET to 8:15 a.m. ET on 15 networks, including ABC, BBC America, CBS, CNN, CNNe, E!, Fox News Channel, HLN, MSNBC, NBC, PBS, Telemundo, TLC, and Univision. The nuptials attracted a larger audience than the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, which drew 22.8 million viewers across 11 networks.
The high viewership of Harry and Meghan's wedding can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the royal wedding captured the interest of people beyond those who typically watch television, with many waking up early to tune in. Secondly, the wedding took place on a Saturday morning, a prime time for television viewership. Additionally, the marriage of a British prince to an American actress created a unique cross-cultural appeal, drawing audiences from both the United Kingdom and the United States.
According to Nielsen data, the wedding garnered an average of 18 million viewers in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the wedding attracted an estimated 29 million viewers, representing a bit less than a tenth of all U.S. residents. The high viewership in the U.S. can be partly attributed to the fact that Meghan Markle is American, creating a strong domestic interest in the royal wedding.
The royal wedding also sparked significant engagement on social media. There were 6.9 million total interactions across Facebook and Twitter related to the wedding, according to Nielsen Social. This further highlights the widespread interest and participation in the celebration of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's nuptials.
The wedding's broad appeal and high viewership served as a testament to the enduring fascination with royal weddings and the ability of traditional television to draw massive audiences for special events, even in an era of declining ratings and competition from streaming services.
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It was the third most-watched wedding
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was the third most-watched wedding. The couple tied the knot on 19 May 2018 in a ceremony that was broadcast live across 15 different television networks. The wedding averaged 29 million viewers, which was more than the 2011 nuptials for William and Kate, which was watched by 24 million people in the UK.
The royal wedding was one of the highest-rated TV events of the year, but it did not surpass the number of viewers for the Super Bowl, which drew 103.4 million viewers earlier in the year. In the UK, it was speculated that the wedding might be surpassed in viewership by the World Cup, and later in the year by Strictly Come Dancing and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, which were expected to attract 12 million viewers.
The wedding was a huge affair, with around 1,900 guests invited to the ceremony and 600 invited to a luncheon at Buckingham Palace. Only 200 close friends and family were invited to the evening reception at Frogmore House. The wedding also had a large online presence, with 6.9 million total interactions across Facebook and Twitter.
While Harry and Meghan's wedding had higher ratings in the US than the wedding of William and Kate, the trend was different in the UK, where more people tuned in to watch William and Kate's wedding. This may have been due to the wedding taking place on a Friday morning, when Americans were at work, or because more people opted to watch online through YouTube streaming or other online platforms.
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1,900 guests attended the ceremony
On 19 May 2018, Prince Harry of Wales married American actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle in England. The royal wedding was a grand affair, with an estimated 1,900 guests in attendance at the ceremony. The guest list included a mix of royalty, celebrities, and members of the public, with 200 close family and friends invited to the evening reception at Frogmore House.
The wedding ceremony was a spectacular event, with around 600 guests in the church. In addition to the guests, the happy couple also allowed 2,640 members of the public to witness their special day inside the grounds of Windsor Castle. The public's interest in the royal wedding extended beyond those physically present, with millions of people tuning in to watch the ceremony on television.
The royal wedding attracted a significant amount of media attention, with live coverage aired on 15 different broadcast and cable networks in the US. The wedding was carried live from approximately 7:00 a.m. ET to 8:15 a.m. ET, with networks such as ABC, BBC America, CBS, CNN, and NBC providing extensive coverage. The high level of public interest resulted in impressive television ratings, with an estimated 29 million viewers tuning in across the various networks.
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a highly anticipated event, and the large number of guests in attendance reflected the significance of the occasion. The guest list included a mix of royalty, celebrities, and members of the public, all coming together to celebrate the union of two well-known figures. The couple's decision to invite members of the public to share in their special day added to the excitement and made the event even more memorable for those involved.
The royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a grand affair, with 1,900 guests in attendance, and it captured the attention of millions of people worldwide through television broadcasts and social media interactions. The event showcased the public's fascination with royal weddings and the appeal of celebrating such momentous occasions.
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2,640 members of the public watched from Windsor Castle's grounds
On 19 May 2018, an estimated 29.2 million people watched the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on television. The ceremony took place at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, England, and was broadcast live on approximately 15 networks in the US.
However, only 2,640 members of the public were able to watch the wedding in person from within Windsor Castle's grounds. The couple invited around 1,900 guests to the religious ceremony, with 600 people invited to a luncheon at Buckingham Palace, hosted by the Queen. Only 200 close family members and friends were invited to the evening reception at Frogmore House.
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was the third most-watched royal wedding. The highest UK TV audience for a royal wedding was recorded in July 1981 when an estimated 28 million people watched Prince Charles marry Lady Diana Spencer. In the UK, more people tuned in to watch the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, with 24 million viewers. However, more Americans watched the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, with 18 million US viewers compared to William and Kate's wedding, which was watched by 11.5 million Americans.
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The wedding had higher ratings than William and Kate's
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attracted a lot of attention, and many were keen to see how the ratings compared to previous royal weddings. In the UK, more people tuned in to watch the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, with about 24 million viewers compared to Harry and Meghan's 18 million. However, the American television ratings were higher for Meghan and Harry's wedding than for William and Kate's.
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was watched by an estimated 1.9 billion people globally, a figure that includes TV, internet, and in-person viewers. This is roughly equal to the 2 billion estimates for William and Kate's wedding, although some people doubt the accuracy of this number. In the US, Harry and Meghan's wedding drew an audience of around 29 million viewers, compared to the 22.8 million who watched William and Kate's wedding. This may be due in part to the fact that William and Kate's wedding took place on a Friday morning, when most Americans were at work. Additionally, these ratings do not take into account people who watched the ceremonies online or on their mobile devices.
The higher ratings for Harry and Meghan's wedding in the US may be attributed to the ""Meghan effect", with Americans tuning in to see one of their own marry into the British royal family. The wedding also took place at a more convenient time for American viewers, starting at 7 a.m. EST. The ratings for Harry and Meghan's wedding represented less than a tenth of all US residents, and there were also 6.9 million interactions across Facebook and Twitter related to the wedding.
While the TV viewership for Harry and Meghan's wedding was lower in the UK compared to William and Kate's, it was still the most-watched TV event in the country for that year. The wedding attracted 18 million viewers across several channels, with the majority watching the BBC's coverage. Despite the differences in viewership between the two weddings, it's clear that royal weddings captivate audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Frequently asked questions
Around 18 million people in the UK tuned in to watch Prince Harry marry Meghan Markle.
An estimated 1.9 billion people watched the royal wedding worldwide, though early projections had estimated a viewership of over 3 billion.
Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton saw higher viewership numbers in the UK, with 24 million viewers compared to Harry and Meghan's 18 million. However, in the US, more people watched Harry and Meghan's wedding.
