Kmflett's Blog

1953-2023-How many watched the Coronation on screen?

We have some idea of how many anti-Royalist protesters were out on 6^th May. There were more than the police had anticipated in central London, and 52 were arrested for being insufficiently Royalist on a wet Saturday in May. In Cardiff republican protesters outnumbered Royalists and there were also protests in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

What however of the far larger numbers who were watching the Coronation either out of general interest or because they are Royalists? Numbers of local authorities had wasted public money erecting outdoor big screens without checking the weather forecast.

There are however TV figures.

At the last Coronation in 1953 there were but 2.5 million TV sets but 20 million watched the Coronation- around 40% of the population. 12 million listened on the radio (Peter Hennessy, Having It So Good).

For the Queen’s funeral in September 2022 29 million watched.

Preliminary figures for viewing on Saturday 6^th May suggest 20 million watched the Coronation on TV with the BBC taking the bulk with 15.5million. The BBC Press Office confirmed on Monday that a total of 15.1m watched across BBC1 and BBC2 with an average-those who took more than a glance-of 13.3m. The preliminary figure of 20m across all broadcasters appears an over estimate. ITV claimed 3.5m viewers and Sky 800,000

Numbers who watched it on tablets and smart phones have yet to be factored in.

Linking these figures to the popularity or otherwise of Royalty in 2023 is complex.

The 1953 figures were probably boosted by the novelty of it being the first televised Coronation. On the other hand given Saturday 6^th May was wet in many areas it might be expected that more than usual would have stayed in and at least caught a few minutes on TV.

Either way its hard to think that the Coronation was the national event and conversation most of the media have promoted it as. Clearly many were at best indifferent.