Recently updated on August 13th, 2023 at 04:52 pm
Netflix big budget drama The Crown is back on our screens for Season 3, starring Olivia Coleman as one of the world’s most famous monarchs. Reportedly costing between $6.5 to $13 million per episode (yes, you read that right), it’s fair to say that the shows producers don’t hold back when it comes to flashing the cash, and this extends to the shows filming locations.
The lavish castles, sprawling stately homes and beautiful churches and abbeys of the UK are all given a starring role in the show, standing in as substitutes for the real thing. After all, we don’t think Her Majesty would take too kindly to lending out Buckingham Palace for the afternoon.
Fancy getting the royal treatment for yourself? We’ve rounded up our favourite ‘The Crown’ filming locations that you can visit for yourself.
1. Wilton House, Wiltshire
Home to the Earls of Pembroke since the 1540’s, Wilton House in set in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside and was used in filming for many Buckingham Palace scenes. Open to the public year round, guests can stroll around the house and enjoy the 17th century interiors, appreciate the famous art collection featuring the likes of van Dyck and Rembrandt van Rijn, or explore the 22 acres of parkland and gardens.
2. Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire
Only the best would do to replicate St. Paul’s Cathedral, the iconic London landmark where British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill was given a State Funeral (depicted in Season 3). For this ‘The Crown’ filming location, the producers chose one of the largest and grandest medieval cathedrals in Europe, Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. Nestled in the heart of Winchester, the Cathedral boasts vast valued ceilings and Gothic style architecture, and was once a seat of Anglo-Saxon and Norman royal power. Well worth a visit for any budding historian, much loved English novelist Jane Austen is also buried here.
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3. Ely Cathedral, Ely
With Westminster Abbey sadly off the cards for the filming of Queen Elizabeth’s marriage to Prince Phillip in Season 1, magnificent Ely Cathedral in the city of Ely in Cambridgeshire, was used instead. With a history dating back over 1300 years, historians and architects around the world are forever in awe of Ely Cathedral’s beauty and size – so much so it is widely regarded as one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages’. No stranger to the regal spotlight, Ely Cathedral also took on a starring role in The Other Boleyn Girl, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and The King’s Speech.
4. Hylands House, Essex
Fans of Season 3 will recall the scenes of Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter) travelling to Washington DC to meet with President Lyndon B Johnson at the Whitehouse. In real life, the actors didn’t make the trip the US, choosing instead to film at Hylands House in Essex. A stunning Grade II listed Neo-Classical villa, Hylands House is set within 574 acres of rolling parkland and is open to the public on designated open days. It can also be hired for exclusive events such as weddings and corporate functions.
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5. Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire
Windsor Castle has long been a favourite country retreat for the Queen, so naturally it features in the show. As ‘The Crown’ filming locations go, Belvoir Castle is one of the most grand, with several of the properties interior rooms used to replicate Windsor Castle. Celebrated as one of the finest examples of Regency architecture in the world, Belvoir Castle has been the home of the Duke of Rutland and his family since 1067 and is open to the public on selected days throughout the year.
