Netflix’s ‘The Crown‘ is one of the most popular historical dramas ever to grace the screens. The scandals, romances, and dramatization of the life of the British Royal Family has kept everyone glued to their screens for the six-season span. An inside look at the Royal Family is not the only interesting thing about the show, the magnificent backdrops play a vital part in the show’s appeal.
The royal drama moves from palatial estates to decadent mansions with the grace of an expert archer’s bow. The producers had to look all throughout the UK for suitable replacements for the royal intrigue as the real Queen Elizabeth was not very courteous about Netflix shooting on her many residences. Obviously, they succeeded in finding perfect surrogates as the audience can attest. So, get ready to plan your very own regal holiday as here is a list of 10 places where ‘The Crown‘ was shot.
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‘The Crown’ Filming Locations
1. Lancaster House
Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of the monarch since 1837 and Lancaster House – a neoclassical mansion also situated in London doubled as this magnificent palace. The unforgettable scene of Princess Di skating through the corridors of Buckingham Palace while enjoying Duran Duran on her Walkman was shot in this very residence. The house was built in 1825 and is open to the public during London’s Open City festival but you can always take a virtual tour.
2. Ardverikie Castle
This 19th-century Gothic architectural masterpiece was used to portray the Balmoral Castle throughout the series. In one of the most pivotal episodes of season four, ‘The Balmoral Test’ where both Lady Diana and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher are invited to the Queen’s Scottish hideaway was shot in this castle. It is located near Iverness, the capital of Scottish Highlands and has a number of cosy cottages and lodges for rent.
3. Somerley House
The Somerley House located on the border of the Hampshire-Dorset portrays Charles and Diana’s country house, Highgrove in Gloucestershire which is still home to Prince Charles to date. A mesmerising country house situated on the edge of the New Forest National Park looks absolutely magical. The house can be booked for the weekends and is also open for weddings, festivals, concerts and photo shoots.
4. Burghley House & Belvoir Castle
Burghley House in Lincolnshire Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire doubled as the famous Windsor Castle which was the venue for the popular Royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The Queen’s weekend home which was built almost 1,000 years ago by William the Conqueror, has featured heavily throughout the series. A magnificent Tudor mansion, Burghley House has previously featured in the movie Pride and Prejudice, while the 11th century Belvoir Castle allows a tour of both its gardens and the castle itself.
5. Caernarforn Castle
Caernarfon Castle in north-west Wales was used in season three of ‘The Crown‘ as the heir apparent (Josh O’Connor) takes part in the investiture ceremony along with his mother Queen Elizabeth II. The interesting fact about this location is that it was also the real-life location of Prince Charles’s investiture ceremony in 1969 where he was presented with the insignia of his rank. Today, this 11-century building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered one of the greatest buildings from the Middle Ages.
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6. Wrotham Park
A neoclassical mansion, Wrotham Park doubled up as Gatcombe Park, home of Princess Anne in the series. The mansion located a 30-minute drive north of London in Hertfordshire has previously been used in various films and TV shows like ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary‘, ‘Vanity Fair‘, ‘Jane Eyre’ etc. The mansion has recently been made available for hire for private events.
7. Somerleyton Hall
The statuesque mansion in Suffolk served as the Queen’s Christmas retreat, Sandringham, a fairly new royal property. The Tudor-Jacobean mansion doubled as the setting for the season four finale of ‘The Crown‘ when the entire Royal Family gathers together. The house is privately owned but the gardens are open for public viewing from April to October.
8. Brocket Hall
The luxurious Hertfordshire home served as a very important royal residence, the Kensington Palace which served as the birthplace of Queen Victoria. The location served as the residence for Charles and Diana (Emma Corrin) in season four of ‘The Crown‘. Brocket Hall was built in 1760 and was one of Queen Victoria’s favourite residences and was also home to two British Prime Ministers in the 19th century. Now its elegant Melbourne house is open for public stay.
9. Hedsor House
In season four of the series, this Georgian mansion located in Buckinghamshire served as 10 Downing Street. Its elegant interiors were used as the living quarters and executive offices of the UK’s Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson). The building has been a popular filming location for multiple TV series such as ‘Downton Abbey‘, ‘Veep‘ and ‘America’s Next Top Model‘. The property is off-limits to the public and is only available for private events and weddings.
10. Winchester Cathedral
In season three, this Gothic cathedral was used to film the funeral of Winston Churchill which in reality took place in St Paul’s Cathedral in 1965. One of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Europe it has played host to various royal weddings such as Queen Mary and Prince Philip of Spain in 1554 and King Henry IV and Joanna of Navarre in 1403. The cathedral is now primarily related to Jane Austen who has been buried there in 1817.
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