The BBC has granted a special dispensation of the license fee with regards to The Royal Wedding, allowing places that don’t have TV licenses – such as town halls and community areas – to screen the regal nuptials without having to purchase a TV license especially.
His Royal Highness Prince Harry and Suits alum Megan Markle will be married on Saturday 19th May. The ceremony will take place at St George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle, with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby officiating the service. The BBC will offer extensive coverage of the event across radio, TV and online.
BBC representative Pipa Doubtfire said this about the decision to waive license fee rules for the day, allowing communities to come together and watch the royal wedding without having to fork out:
“I’m delighted to announce that we have decided to offer a one-off dispensation for the Royal Wedding on May 19. This will allow the public to enjoy live coverage of the occasion at special events like street parties, where TV is not usually watched, without needing to buy a licence.”
“By law, if live television or iPlayer is viewed on any premises, those premises must be covered by a valid TV Licence. However, in exceptional circumstances, the BBC can grant a dispensation for the temporary viewing of television, so long as the viewing is for the sole purpose of screening an event which is judged by the BBC to be of national importance. The BBC considers that the Royal Wedding is such an event.”
If you’re planning a street party for the royal wedding, then, you don’t need to worry about obtaining the legal rights to screen TV in the middle of your road. As long as you can run a cable out there, or pick up a decent internet signal, you can screen the royal wedding free of charge!