Streamers? Queen Elizabeth’s funeral breaks audience record

Historically, the royal family’s televised events have attracted large audiences from around the world. While William and Kate’s wedding had 162 million people tuning in in April 2011, Harry and Meghan’s had an estimated 1.9 billion in 2018.

Music events such as the 2005 Live 8 benefit concert and sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup Finals, also generate record numbers, with the most-watched streaming event in history reportedly being the ceremony. opening ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, in which American boxing legend Muhammad Ali lit the torch to kick off the games.

In addition to this remote audience, the funeral is expected to draw some 2 million people to join the funeral procession in person, including more than 70 heads of government. And, according to Reuters, it will be the largest security operation ever carried out in the UK, with more than 10,000 police officers on duty.

While the exact cost of the funeral has yet to be reported, estimates for the entirety of the proceedings following the queen’s death have been between £8m and £6bn.