Most watched royal weddings of all time revealed and it’s not what you’d expect
People have been following the movements of the Royal Family and their relationships since the establishment began, but you might not know the order of popularity their nuptials had on the public.
We’ve seen many royal weddings during our time, but only few garnered immense attention from viewers at home.
You may have your thoughts on which wedding had the most at-home views, but you might be surprised to know there is a top four list that shows exactly how many tuned in to each event.
Here’s where they rank, according to the World Atlas.
Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon: 300 million views
Taking the fourth spot, Princess Margaret’s wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones on May 6, 1960 at Westminster Abbey, was a historic event.
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In fact, it was the first royal wedding to be broadcasted on television, with the nation able to see the 29-year-old princess wed Armstrong-Jones, the Earl of Snowdon.
It was reported that thousands showed up on the day to line the streets from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, as spectators cheered and watched the celebrations from afar.
As per royal tradition, the princess travelled from Clarence House to Westminster Abbey in the Glass Coach, with brother-in-law, the Duke of Edinburgh.
As Margaret's father, George VI, had passed away in 1952, the Duke walked Margaret down the aisle and gave her away at the altar. Sadly, the marriage didn’t last as the pair divorced in 1978, marking the first major royal divorce in modern history.
Prince William and Catherine Middleton: 1 billion views
William and Kate have been the people’s Prince and Princess since they revealed their intent to matty.
The pair met in 2001 at St Andrews university in Scotland, before becoming romantic in 2002. However, it only became public knowledge two years later.
While they split up for two months in 2007, the couple managed to patch things up and Prince William popped the question in 2010. Just one year later, they wed on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey.
A lot of hoopla was made about Kate’s dress, and her sister, Pippa, too.
All in all, it was an event for the ages, but not as big as the wedding that holds the number one spot.
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer: 1 billion views
It's been 44 years since Princess Diana and the now-King Charles wed.
The pair were married at St Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday, 29 July 1981, when Diana was just 20 and Charles was 32 at the time.
The televised ceremony was broadcasted in a whopping 74 countries where viewers watched Diana put her own spin on her wedding vows, sharing how she would ‘love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health’, but would not ‘obey’ him.
The New York Times reported that Charles and Diana held some spoke about the implications of that word, and it marked a moment where the pair changed tradition.
But did you also know that she said Charles' name incorrectly at the altar?
According to Sally Beddell Smith's book, Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life, Smith shared that Diana referred to Charles as 'Philip Charles Arthur George', instead of 'Charles Philip'.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: 1.9 billion views
Are you even surprised? I mean, I assume many US citizens hopped online to stream the service, time zone differences be damned.
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married in 2018, it was by far the event of the year.
Not only did celebrities and royals gather to watch the pair come together in holy matrimony, but billions of people tuned in to watch the broadcast from home.
Even though Meghan had experienced fame before as she was a successful actress due to her role in Suits, it was nothing like she was experiencing on that day.
Sadly, their wedding high soon turned into a low after the pair left the royal family life and started fresh in the US with their two children, Archie and Lilibet, due to alleged unsavoury treatment.
Topics: Royal Family, Meghan Markle, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Princess Diana, King Charles III, Prince Harry, UK News
Britt Jones