Britain’s royal wedding of Prince Harry of Wales and U.S. actress Meghan Markle attracted over 29 million TV viewers in the U. S. and 6.9 million interactions on social network, according to ratings issued Sunday by U.S. information and measurement company Nielsen Media Research.
An estimated 29.2 million people tuned in to the royal wedding held at Windsor Castle on Saturday, which outnumbers the 22.8 million viewers for the wedding of Harry’s brother Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011.
The wedding ceremony was broadcast live on 15 networks in the United States, including ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN, among others.
It is reported that prior to the wedding, NBC and CBS struck deals with local hotels to ensure their shooting positions.
Across Facebook and Twitter, the wedding garnered 6.9 million interactions in total, according to Nielsen. TV networks like NBC also produced video content for photo messaging application Snapchat to expand their business.
Harry and Markle will delay heading off for their honeymoon, instead attending a birthday party for his father Prince Charles just days after marrying in a ground-breaking ceremony that blended the modern with the traditional.
They will head home to their cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace before attending their first official royal engagement as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — the 70th birthday patronage celebration for Prince Charles.
The outdoor event marks the heir to the throne’s milestone birthday – which falls in November – by recognising Charles’ patronages and military affiliations as well as others involved in charities supported by the royal.
So far, the destination of their honeymoon is unknown, with some media guessing they might travel to Botswana, possibly to an exclusive safari camp which the couple visited in August last year, just a few months before they announced their engagement.
Harry sourced the diamond in Meghan’s engagement ring from Botswana, the world’s biggest producer.
The marriage of Harry, 33, a former royal wild child and sixth-in-line to the British throne, and 36-year-old Meghan, a divorcee whose mother is African-American and father is white, was like no other the royal family has seen before.
“Kisstory” said the Sunday on Sunday newspaper. “Harry and Meg’s historic change for monarch.”
“There is power in love,” said the Sunday Times, referencing a passionate sermon by U.S. Episcopalian Bishop Michael Bruce Curry. (Xinhua/NAN)
