This fantastic series dramatises the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Filled with political intrigue and romance, the series has been a global success, winning awards for Best Drama, Best Writing, and Best Direction at the Emmys.
As avid fans, we can’t help but notice how breathtaking the sets and locations for The Crown have been over the seasons. Did you know? Most of it wasn’t shot inside actual royal residences. Here’s your guide to the magnificent stand-ins and filming locations featured across all six seasons.
Where are the top real-life filming locations from the Netflix series The Crown? Our favourite spots fro mthe show:
- Lancaster House, The Mall
- Blythe House, West Kensington
- Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
- Woodchester Mansion, Stroud
- Ely Cathedral, Ely
- Ardverikie Estate, Highlands
Lancaster House, The Mall
This stately mansion, located opposite St. James’ Palace in Central London, boasts stunning interiors and has been used as a double for the interior of Buckingham Palace in several productions. Although not usually open to the public, you can sometimes find one-off tours of Lancaster House, especially during London’s Fashion Week and Open House seasons.
Blythe House, West Kensington
Famous for its appearance as ‘The Circus’ in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, this magnificent building is now used to house thousands of remarkable exhibition pieces from fantastic London museums like the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Science Museum, and the British Museum. You can book tours of Blythe House through the V&A.
Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
One of London’s most historic buildings, the Old Royal Naval College, has a long and fascinating history that is always worth exploring. In the show, the College was used as a stand-in for the Buckingham Palace courtyard. You can visit this masterpiece of traditional English architecture as part of our Greenwich tours.
Woodchester Mansion, Stroud
A visit to this stunning Victorian country house will make you feel like royalty. Woodchester and the surrounding parkland are owned by the National Trust and are open to the public. We loved seeing this beautiful estate featured in The Crown season two!
Ely Cathedral, Ely
The Crown is the sixth primary production to be filmed in Ely’s grandiose gothic cathedral, and the perfect setting for Elizabeth and Phillip’s illustrious wedding.
Although it has been used as a set for The King’s Speech, The Other Boleyn Girl, Jupiter Ascending, and Macbeth, the cathedral continues to be a working parish, welcoming members of the public as both visitors and worshippers.
Ardverikie Estate, Highlands
For a truly breathtaking experience, you can’t go wrong with a trip to Ardverikie Estate. As a stand-in set for the Royal Family’s private Balmoral Estate, Ardverikie is a stunning example of a real highlands site with its beautiful Victorian country house. This is a working estate, but a local company runs Land Rover tours that let you experience it up close and personal.
Here’s a table summarising where all the most iconic royal locations were reproduced and filmed throughout the six seasons of The Crown:
| Royal Location | Filming Stand-Ins |
|---|---|
| Buckingham Palace | Wilton House, Lancaster House, Old Royal Naval College |
| Windsor Castle | Belvoir Castle, Burghley House |
| Kensington Palace | Brocket Hall, Harefield Grove |
| Highgrove Estate | Somerley House |
| Sandringham Estate | Somerleyton Hall |
| Gatcombe Park | Wrotham Park |
| Balmoral Castle | Ardverikie Estate |
| St. Paul’s / Westminster | Winchester Cathedral |
| Caernarfon Castle | Caernarfon Castle itself |
| Aberfan scenes | Cwmaman, Wales |
| University origination | University of St Andrews (Scottish locales) |
| Overseas & U.S. scenes | Mallorca, Malaga, Almería, Northern Quarter (Manchester) |
| Wedding sites | York Minster (Charles & Camilla), Ely Cathedral (Elizabeth II) |
If you’re a true fan of The Crown and want to see some real royal locations, take a look at our Royal Palace Tours. You’ll get to experience the best of the Royal Family’s magnificent estates, including Hampton Court, Kew Palace, and Kensington Palace.
