The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla drew over 14 million viewers to the BBC on Saturday, the network has announced.
“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.”
Peak viewership of the coronation on BBC One was 13.4 million, while the accessible signed version of the coronation on BBC Two peaked at 1.7 million. Average audiences across the two networks were 11.9 million and 1.4 million, respectively. For reference, the population of the United Kingdom is 67.3 million.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last year, Charles immediately rose to King. However, the May 6 coronation symbolized Charles’ acquisition of regal powers, a mostly ceremonial event in the modern age.
Guests gathered at Westminster Abbey to watch Charles’ coronation, including his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, his daughter-in-law Catherine, the Princess of Wales, his grandchildren Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte, and his siblings Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward. Prince Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, was notably not in attendance.
A blend of high-profile guests attended the coronation, including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, among others. The festivities will continue with the Coronation Concert Sunday evening, featuring performances by Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Take That.