The Wedding of Princess Margaret televised

British Royal Weddings are always very popular on television. The first such occasion to be televised – the marriage of Princess Margaret to Antony Armstong-Jones on 6 May 1960 – was no exception. The biggest Royal event since the Coronation was seen by over 20 million people in the UK, while viewers in Australia, Canada and the USA took the total viewing figures to 300 million.

The comprehensive coverage of Princess Margaret’s wedding became the norm with later events. The BBC used all but one of their outside broadcast units – held back to cover the FA Cup Final. Richard Dimbleby provided commentary from his position high above the nave of Westminster Abbey, cutting to Jean Metcalfe at Clarence House for the first glimpse of the Princess. Anne Edwards was on hand to report on guests' outfits as they arrived. Brian Johnston was with the crowds in Horse Guards, while Wynford Vaughan Thomas was outside Buckingham Palace, to witness the married couple appear on the balcony.

Royal weddings are among the most watched moments in television history. The biggest one was the marriage of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, which attracted 28 million viewers in the UK. In recent years, with multiple platforms available, the weddings of Charles and Diana’s children - Princes William and Harry – were seen around the world.