Oprah’s royal interview attracts 12.4 million U.K. viewers as advertisers pile in

The U.K. newspapers are calling it the “worst royal crisis since the abdication.” But when it came to advertising slots during the broadcast of Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, brands saw no reason to be loyal to the monarchy. Advertisers during the two hour Monday night broadcast on ITV, which was watched by a peak audience of 12.4 million people, included global power brands such as Airbnb, Uber Eats, eBay, Procter & Gamble’s Always and Pampers, and Unilever brands Dove and Lifebuoy. Others running commercials included automakers Kia and Toyota, and luxury advertisers such as Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. But viewers also saw ads from some of the U.K.’s biggest local advertisers. Retailers Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Iceland and Marks & Spencer all bought spots, which were estimated to be priced at around £120,000 (approx $167,000)—more than double the usual rate for a Monday evening—as did Virgin Media, Sky, HSBC and Britbox. According to ITV’s overnight ratings, the broadcast was viewed by a 54% share of U.K. viewers between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.. It did particularly well with younger audiences, with 83% of 16-34 year-old TV viewers tuning in at its peak. Altogether, it was the biggest peak U.K. audience since the 2019 Rugby World Cup final, and the biggest U.K. audience on any channel since the final of "Strictly Come Dancing" on BBC One in December. Palace makes statement The broadcast was followed by a special late edition of ITV’s “News at Ten,” in which various commentators weighed in on the revelations made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Buckingham Palace this afternoon issued a statement, saying that the race issues raised by the pair are "concerning." It said that "whilst recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. " The Palace also said it was "saddened" to learn the "full extent" of how challenging the last years had been for the couple, and described them as "much loved family members." Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday refused to comment at a daily press conference, saying only that he had the “highest admiration” for the Queen but that “when it comes to matters to do with the royal family, the right thing for prime ministers to say is nothing.” That stands in contrast to the U.S., where White House press secretary Jen Psaki said of Meghan: “For anyone to come forward and speak about their own struggles with mental health and tell their own personal story, that takes courage. That’s certainly something the president believes.” The U.K.’s media is also split over its own culpability in the saga: The Society of Editors issued a statement on Monday saying: “The U.K. media is not bigoted and will not be swayed from its vital role in holding the rich and powerful to account following the attack on the press by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.” On Tuesday morning, however, The Guardian publicly disagreed, with Katharine Viner, its editor-in-chief, tweeting: "Every institution in the United Kingdom is currently examining its own position on vital issues of race and the treatment of people of color. As I have said before, the media must do the same. It must be much more representative and more self-aware.”

Oprah’s royal interview attracts 12.4 million U.K. viewers as advertisers pile in

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