Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, which is set to go ahead later today, is expected to smash the records regarding viewing figures, knocking off two iconic sporting moments from the top spots as the most-viewed TV event of all time.

With most major channels committing resources to mourn The Queen’s death and the creation of a Bank Holiday in the UK for the funeral, global viewing figures are expected to surpass a huge four billion.

That is more than half of the world’s population!

The figure would blow out of the water the two and a half billion globally that watched Princess Diana’s service in 1997, and it would also smash the current records for most-watched TV events which are two historic sporting moments.

Most-watched TV moment globally

The current most-watched TV event globally is a record that has stood for over 25 years, with Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic opening ceremony viewed by 3.6 billion people worldwide, as per the Daily Star.

The ceremony memorably featured Louisiana’s Muhammad Ali light the Olympic torch, and ‘The Greatest’ proclaiming in reference to his Parkinson’s disease that, “God gave me this physical impairment to remind me that I am not the greatest. He is.”

General view of the Olympic rings at the Opening Ceremony of the XXVI Summer Olympic Games on 19 July 1996 at the Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, United States. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

As well as smashing the record for most-watched event globally, The Queen’s funeral is expected to top the standings for most-watched event in the UK, demoting arguably the greatest moment in English sporting history.

Most-watched TV moment in UK

England’s World Cup victory on home soil in 1966 was watched by 32.3 million people as it famously carried on into extra-time. And fittingly, it was Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II that day who passed the Jules Rimet trophy to England captain Bobby Moore to lift aloft into the Old Wembley sky.

It still to this day remains the only World Cup England have won. Hopefully that can be corrected later this year as we head to Qatar for the 2022 edition of the tournament.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 18: Queen Elizabeth II reads the Queen's Speech from the throne during State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster on May 18, 2016 in London, England. The State Opening of Parliament is the formal start of the parliamentary year. This year's Queen's Speech, setting out the government's agenda for the coming session, is expected to outline policy on prison reform, tuition fee rises and reveal the potential site of a UK spaceport. (Photo by Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

All major sporting events have been suspended for the day as a mark of respect for Queen Elizabeth II, and most major television channels will be following the service, which is to commence at 11am.

Thank you for your service, Queen Elizabeth II, and may you rest in peace.