According to the BBC, the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Saturday attracted over 14 million people.
“The BBC brought people across the UK together to share a once in a generation event with over 14 million watching the King being crowned live,” Charlotte Moore, chief content officer for the BBC, said in a statement. “I’m proud of the unique and special role the BBC plays in delivering audiences moments of such huge historical significance and the celebrations continue with our Coronation Concert tonight.”
The accessible signing version of the coronation on BBC Two peaked at 1.7 million viewers, whereas the coronation on BBC One peaked at 13.4 million. The two networks’ combined average audiences were 11.9 million and 1.4 million, respectively. By comparison, there are 67.3 million people living in the United Kingdom.
Charles became king right away after Queen Elizabeth II passed away last year. The May 6 coronation, however largely symbolic in today’s world, represented Charles’ accession of regal authority.
Prince Charles’ sons Royal William and Prince Harry, his daughter-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales, his grandsons Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte, as well as his brothers Princess Anne, Princes Andrew, and Edward, joined guests in Westminster Abbey to witness his coronation. Meghan Markle, the wife of Prince Harry, was conspicuously absent from the event.
Several powerful figures attended the coronation, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The celebrations will continue with the Coronation Concert on Sunday night, which will feature performances by Take That, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie.
Suggested Read: John Cena in Transformers 6: Rise of the Beasts?
