More than 24 million viewers in the UK watched Friday’s royal wedding on the BBC and ITV, with the BBC coverage of the ceremony seen by 18.7m, according to early estimates.
BBC One’s coverage of the build-up to the wedding on Breakfast television was watched by 9.4 million viewers.
US television figures are due to be released later today.
Police estimate a million people lined the procession route from the abbey to the palace following the wedding.
The audience on the BBC peaked at the beginning of the ceremony, with 8.9m viewers, as the Duchess of Cambridge entered Westminster Abbey and the public got a first glimpse of her bridal gown.
The estimated figures for the BBC and ITV put the wedding in the top 10 of programmes ever watched, although more people watched the 1966 World Cup Final and Princess Diana’s funeral.
Those watching the other terrestrial channels – BBC Two, Channel 4 and Five – made up only 0.6% of the television audience as the wedding service began.
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Wedding figures top 24m in the UK