From The Times, September 8, 1997
Viewing records fall as over a billion tune in
Carol Midgley, media correspondent
A record 31.5 million people across Britain watched the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales — making it the biggest single televised event.
According to initial figures by the British Audience Research Bureau (Barb), an estimated 59 per cent of the population were viewing at the peak time, 11am to noon. Millions more were listening on radio in cars and at work.
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The audience, which represents three quarters of the country’s adult population, exceeded that of 1981 when 28.4 million people watched the wedding of the Princess and the Prince of Wales. It also dwarfed the BBC’s own record of 24.35 million who watched the final episode of Only Fools and Horses last Christmas Day.
Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral in 1965 was watched by 19 million and Earl Mountbatten’s by 15 million. Television executives said that it was “almost impossible” to assess how many had watched around the world, although early estimates suggest it was more than a billion.
The procession and service were broadcast to 187 countries by the BBC. The BBC World Service alone broadcast in 45 languages to 143 million people. Despite the time differences across the world, millions set their alarm clocks early to watch it.