Sunday’s blockbuster interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Oprah With Meghan and Harry, was a royal success for CBS: More than 17 million viewers tuned into the two-hour special featuring Oprah Winfrey‘s exclusive sit-down with Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry.
The special that revealed blockbuster details about the way Meghan was treated by members of “The Firm” — a pejorative for Buckingham Palace — was also the night’s top program, according to fast nationals from Nielsen.
It earned a 3.6 ratings in adults 25-to-54 years old and a 2.6 among 18-to-49, making it the largest primetime audience for any entertainment special since the Academy Awards on Feb. 9, 2020.
There were bragging rights on social media, too. The interview resulted in what CBS calls “12 billion potential impressions.” The word Meghan trended in the U.S. for 12 hours, as well as #OprahMeghanHarry and Archie, the name of the couple’s first child.
The special can be streamed for free, on demand, on the CBS App, and CBS.com. It will air this evening in Britain. The couple was interviewed by Winfrey near their homes in Montecito, Calif. at an undisclosed location. Winfrey told CBS This Morning that the original discussion was over three hours long.
