• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
The Queen’s funeral had fewer viewers than Princess Diana’s despite initial estimates

Home> News

Published 11:42 22 Sep 2022 GMT+1

The Queen’s funeral had fewer viewers than Princess Diana’s despite initial estimates

It was predicted that the Queen’s funeral might be the most-watched broadcast in British television history

Aisha Nozari

Aisha Nozari

Featured Image Credit: Paul Brown/jeremy sutton-hibbert/Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: Royal Family, The Queen, Film and TV

Aisha Nozari
Aisha Nozari

Advert

Advert

Advert

It was predicted that the Queen’s funeral might be the most-watched broadcast in British television history. But in actual fact, Her Majesty’s funeral on Monday (19 September) drew in less viewers than Diana’s in 1997.

The viewing figures for this week’s ceremony will likely come as a shock to some, seeing as the late monarch’s funeral was billed as being a record-obliterating event - although it did draw in more spectators than 2020’s Euros final, if that’s any consolation. 

It was predicted that the Queen’s funeral might be the most-watched broadcast in British television history.
PA

According to the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB), more than 26 million people watched Queen Elizabeth II's funeral service at Westminster Abbey.

Advert

In the US, around 11.4 million tuned in, which is significantly lower than the 33.2 million who watched Princess Diana’s service in the nineties. 

There wasn’t quite as much of a discrepancy here in the UK, with nearly 27 million people watching this week’s ceremony, and 32 million tuning into Princess Diana’s 25 years ago. 

Meanwhile, the Euro 2020 football championship final in July 2021 racked up a viewership of 22.5 million.

Some were still floored by the colossal number of people who watched the Queen’s funeral this week, with one person writing beneath BARB’s figures: “Gosh, mega figure. I wonder when was the last time to get viewing figures like that for one program being viewed. Maybe Morecambe and Wise Christmas special or something?”

“Wow!” added another, with a third writing: “Huge figures.”

Advert

Less thrilled, another person quipped: “Not like we had much of a choice to watch anything else was it? It was basically a choice of the funeral or finding something to watch on Netflix at 11am. Sky sports were showing the funeral, that's how insane Monday was.”

Someone else echoed: “That’s a lot of people *not* watching it, considering society went out of its way to attempt to force people to watch it.”

Diana’s funeral was the most-watched royal TV spectacle since records began in 1981, although the official most-watched TV event was back in 1966 when 32.3 million people tuned into the FIFA World Cup Final of England v West Germany.

A more recent viewership milestone was recorded on 23 March 2020, when Boris Johnson delivered his Covid-19 lockdown statement, formally confirming the UK was in the midst of a pandemic.

Advert

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected] 

  • Producer of The Simpsons sets record straight after fans rage that main character is 'killed off' for first time ever
  • The Boys star Jack Quaid speaks on 'nepo baby' label admitting he 'had an easier time than most'
  • The Office fans frustrated after spotting 'weird' Netflix 'censorship' of hilarious Michael Scott scene
  • Netflix viewers say ‘terrifying’ cannibal western has ‘the most brutal on screen death ever’ despite not being a horror

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
10 hours ago
11 hours ago
12 hours ago
  • 8 hours ago

    Diddy denied bail after being found guilty on 2 out of 5 counts in sex trafficking and prostitution case

    Diddy has been denied bail after being found guilty on two of five charges he was facing

    News
  • 10 hours ago

    Donald Trump makes shocking threat he wants to deport US citizens and people are stunned

    Donald Trump has made a threat to deport US citizens following the opening of a migrant centre in Florida

    News
  • 11 hours ago

    Bryan Kohberger speaks for first time in court admitting to how he brutally murdered four Idaho students

    The Idaho murder suspect has spoken out following the brutal murders of four students in 2022

    News
  • 12 hours ago

    Former prosecutor explains why Diddy was found not guilty on 3 out of 5 counts in sex trafficking and prostitution case

    A legal expert has shared his thoughts about why Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been found not guilty of three counts

    News