William and Kate's Wedding Draws 22.8M U.S. Viewers

Live coverage on 11 networks draws 16 rating

By Jon Lafayette & Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/1/2011 12:02:37 PM

The Royal Wedding Friday morning was watched by 22.8 million viewers in the U.S., according to Nielsen.

Prince William and Kate Middleton got married with 11 U.S. networks providing live coverage from London's Westminster Abbey. Those networks combined for a 16 rating and 18.6 million households.

Those numbers topped other recent royal weddings. When Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 it was carried by 3 networks. They were watched by 14.2 million households and drew an 18.3 rating.

When Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005, it was covered by 3 networks and attracted 3.3 million homes, generating a 3.0 rating.

ABC's Good Morning America from 7-9 a.m. anchored live by Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters from Buckingham Palace attracted 8.65 million total viewers and a 2.6 rating with aduts 25-54. ABC News' full Royal Wedding coverage from  4-10 a.m. averaged 6.15 million viewers and and a 1.9 rating in the demo, according to Nielsen Fast Nationals.

NBC's Today drew more than 9.6 million viewers from 7-9 a.m. The third hour of Today delivered 5.7 million viewers and  the fourth hour had 3.2 million viewers.

On cable, CNN's coverage from 4-10 a.m. delivered 1.66 million total viewers and 714,000 adults 25-54. Fox News was second with 1.55 million total viewers and 470,000 adults 25-54. Third-place MSNBC drew 629,000 viewers, including 290,000 in the adults 25-54 demo.