8 epic filming locations from ‘The Crown’ you can visit

After seven years of success and myriad awards, the Netflix series The Crown has taken its last Golden Globe with a best supporting female actor nod for Elizabeth Debicki, who plays Princess Diana in seasons five and six, the latter being the final season.

Since 2016, it has unveiled the dramas of generations of the real-life British royal family. But while the show’s creator Peter Morgan has said the show intertwines “acts of imagination” with real-life events, the locations in which the action takes place are very much real.

While film crews could not always access the real places for shooting the show, there are many impressive homes and buildings across the UK that made perfect stand-ins for the likes of Buckingham Palace and St Paul’s Cathedral. Many of the grand mansions are open to the public, meaning fans of the series can get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of where it was filmed and take in interesting British history at the same time.

Here are eight spots around the UK which are open to the public, and which were used as film locations in the hit show. 

1. BELVOIR CASTLE, LEICESTERSHIRE (WINDSOR CASTLE)

During her reign, Queen Elizabeth spent most of her private weekends at Windsor Castle. In The Crown, Belvoir Castle in Grantham, Leicestershire, was used as the filming location for the estate in earlier seasons.

The castle is a historic stately home and the ancestral seat of the Duke of Rutland. Dating back to Norman times, the current castle was rebuilt in the 19th century. Its impressive architecture, stunning gardens and rich history make it a popular tourist destination and venue for events.

2. WILTON HOUSE, SALISBURY (BUCKINGHAM PALACE)

An iconic site for fans of the show, Wilton House has been used for filming the interior Buckingham Palace scenes. It also appears in other popular shows and films, including Outlander, Bridgerton and The Young Victoria.

The current earl, William Herbert, 18th Earl of Pembroke, and his family live in the house. Though parts of the house and gardens are open to the public in the summer months, Herbert and his wife occupy about a third of the house privately.

It was originally built between 1544 and 1563. The present Grade I listed house is the result of rebuilding after a 1647 fire, though a small section of the original house survives. Alterations were made in the early 19th and early 20th centuries. 

3. UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS  (ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND)

One of the key scenes in the newest season of the show features Prince William meeting Kate Middleton at St Andrews University in Scotland.

Founded in 1413, it is the oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, following the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the third-oldest university in the English-speaking world.

The show was able to use the university as their filming site, where visitors can explore the historic buildings and its impressive grounds.

4. WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL, WINCHESTER (ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL)

Used for filming several iconic scenes in the show, Winchester Cathedral has been used in place of St Paul’s Cathedral. Winston Churchill and Lord Mountbatten’s funerals, as well as the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer, were all filmed here. 

Building began in 1079. Once the seat of Anglo-Saxon and Norman power, Winchester Cathedral is the resting place of Saxon royalty, bishops and other notable personalities, including the much-loved author Jane Austen.

5. YORK MINSTER, YORK (ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL)

Used as a filming spot for season six, York Minster was used in place of St George’s Chapel to show the wedding of Charles and Camilla.

TV lovers can visit the famous cathedral and head up the 275 steps for panoramic views of York.

6. SLAINS CASTLE, ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND (CASTLE MEY)

During the first season of The Crown, Slains Castle was used for filming the home of the Queen Mother, which was actually Castle Mey in the Highlands. Both buildings are open to the public to visit. 

Probably built around 1600, Slains Castle is a ruined castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It overlooks the North Sea from a clifftop 1km east of the village of Cruden Bay.

The castle, which is free to visit, is claimed is to be haunted by the spirit of Victor Hay, 21st Earl of Erroll.

7. WADDESDON MANOR, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (RITZ HOTEL, PARIS)

Season five of The Crown was partly shot at Waddesdon Manor, which was used as a stand-in for interior scenes of the Ritz Paris.

Open to visitors all year round, this grand building is one of the most popular sites among fans of the show. 

The house was created more than a century ago, commissioned by Ferdinand de Rothschild, a British banker and politician, in the style of Louis XIV as a place where he could entertain his friends.

Visitors can enjoy its gardens and interiors, which include an extensive art collection. The collection, built by successive members of the Rothschild dynasty, includes Dutch Masters, works by Reynolds, Gainsborough and others, and outstanding furniture. 

Owned by the National Trust and managed by the Rothschild Foundation, it is one of the National Trust’s most visited properties.

8. KNEBWORTH HOUSE, HERTFORDSHIRE (BALMORAL CASTLE)

Balmoral Castle is a large estate house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which has been owned by the British royal family since 1852 when it was privately purchased by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. 

On September 8 2022, Queen Elizabeth died there at the age of 96. She was the first monarch to die at Balmoral, the first time a monarch had died in Scotland since James V in 1542. Her coffin lay in repose in the ballroom of the castle for three days to allow the royal family, estate staff and neighbours to pay their respects.

A favourite escape for several members of the royal family, particularly the queen, the castle has featured in several series of The Crown, with some interior scenes of Balmoral Castle been shot at Knebworth House, a lavish Gothic country house in Hertfordshire, England.

Balmoral Castle is open to the public from April to July each year.

Knebworth House is famous worldwide for its rock concerts and as the home of Victorian novelist Edward Bulwer Lytton, who wrote “It was a dark and stormy night”.

The beautiful gothic mansion is 46km north of London with much to attract day visitors, including delightful gardens, picnic spots, an adventure park, dinosaur trail and maze, gift shop and a tea room overlooking the garden.