Recently updated on July 3rd, 2025 at 03:31 pm
Everyone’s favourite real-life British Monarchy drama, The Crown, follows some of the revered people in not just the United Kingdom, but the world. The series follows the life and reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II and the rest of the Royal Family, from with her wedding in 1947 through to the early 21st century
With an exceptional cast of stars, including Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Josh O’Conner as a young Prince Charles, and both Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II, viewers enjoy a fictionalised retelling of the historical events and intense drama, including the breakdown of three royal marriages and a huge fire at Windsor Castle.
Was The Crown filmed in the real Buckingham Palace?
Unfortunately not – access to Buckingham Palace itself wasn’t possible, but the The Crown’s producers did splash the cash on filming locations in lavish castles, stately homes and beautiful estates across the UK and Spain. If you’re wondering where The Crown filmed instead, we’ve found a few of the top ‘The Crown’ filming locations featured throughout the series.
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.
Mallorca
Even on holiday in Spain, Diana (played by Elizabeth Deblecki) and Prince Charles (Dominic West) couldn’t escape from the paparazzi. The Crown’s film crew recreated 1991 holiday memories in Spain using the Spanish island of Mallorca for the series. A glamorous speedboat set the stage for when the royal couple and their children were papped at the beachside town of Andratx. Of course, you too could rent a speedboat in Mallorca (or join our Best of Spain tour).
Scotland
We know the Queen loved Scotland and so the nation continues to star heavily in Season 5 where you can spot more scenes at Balmoral Castle, the royal summer residence in Aberdeenshire. Was The Crown actually filmed at Balmoral? No – The Crown used Ardverikie Estate near Inverness as the filming locations for the famous castle. This 19th-century former traditional Highland sporting estate sits on the shores of Loch Laggan and bears a huge likeness to the true royal residence. You can step inside the massive 38,000-acre estate and tour the reception rooms if you book a night’s stay there.
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.
London
Princess Diana had plenty of high-profile encounters with the paparazzi in the 90s, and to recreate these scenes there’s nowhere better than London. The Crown crew used filming locations in Croydon, near the Fairfield Halls. After separating with Prince Charles, Diana kept Kensington Palace as her residence and The Crown filming for this took place across two locations – Harefield Grove in Hillingdon, and Brocket Hall near Welwyn Garden City. Both stately homes are from the late 18th and early 19th centuries and have been used for other film productions through the decades. Want the royal treatment yourself? You can stay at Brocket Hall, which is also a golf course and hotel.
Where was Buckingham Palace when The Crown crew picked filming locations? Well, a home that grand actually needed several estates and a movie studio set to recreate. Playing the part of Buckingham Palace were Lancaster House on Pall Mall in London, Wrotham Park in Barnet, and Wilton House near Salisbury. For the exterior shots, the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich stepped in.
Lincolnshire
Windsor Castle is practically a character in the latest season of The Crown as it faces disastrous events. Stepping in as the famous castle was none other than Burghley House in Stamford. This Crown filming location is a 16th-century house still owned by the family of Sir William Cecil, who first built the estate. You might recognise it from Season 4!
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.
Yorkshire
In 1995 the Queen and Prince Philip took Prince Charles and Diana to Moscow on a royal visit. So how do The Crown film a Russian town in the UK? It heads to Little Germany in the town of Bradford, West Yorkshire. The crew redressed Forster Square to look like the Russian Capital.
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Sussex
The magnificent seafront Queens Hotel in Eastbourne is featured in the final scenes of Season 5. The Netflix big-budget royal drama took over the halls of the grand old hotel – and not for the first time. This magnificent Victorian-era hotel starred in The Crown in Season 3 too. If you want to visit yourself, book at night and enjoy ‘the UK’s sunniest place’. The charming seaside resort town is the perfect place for a short, relaxing break.
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.
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.
Do you recognise any of these filming locations from The Crown? Let us know!