More people watched the royal coronation than the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan

The number of households holding a TV license in 1953 was only 2.1 million, but many people gathered in the homes of family, friends and neighbors to watch the ceremony.

Britain’s high streets emptied on Saturday as millions stayed at home to watch the coronation, figures showed.

Attendance was 20 percent less than last Saturday and 13 percent less than on the same day last year.

However, there was no notable drop in central London compared to the previous week, with numbers up 21 per cent on last year.

Diana Wehrle, director of insights at MRI Springboard, which compiled the data, said: “Yesterday’s coronation – a once-in-a-lifetime event for many – somewhat inevitably drew consumers away from stores and destinations as many watched the action.”