EXPLORE THE ROYAL LONDON FROM 'THE CROWN'!
‘The Crown’ hidden secrets. London private tour
Film tour to the Buckingham exteriors in ‘The Crown’
Old Royal Naval Collage. ‘The Crown’ filming location
Visit Knebworth House. The castle from ‘The Crown’
Visit Ely Cathedral. Wedding of Queen Elizabeth II
Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and ‘Bridgerton’ locations in Bath (from London)
Private visit to the Buckingham from ‘The Crown’ (from London)
LANCASTER HOUSE (London): Buckingham`s entryway in the show.
In a TV series about Queen Elizabeth’s life, Buckingham Palace is without a doubt one of the locations most recreated in the show.
Filming inside the real palace was out of the question, so the scouting team of The Crown had to try to recreate Buckingham in a bunch of different country houses and other buildings scattered throughout the country. And let me tell you… they did a great job.
One of these buildings is Lancaster House, in central London. Many scenes set in Buckingham were filmed inside this mansion but surely you’ll recognise this filming location for its great staircase decorated with red carpets and a golden handrail.
This 19th century mansion is located very closed to the real Buckingham Palace and much of the site was once part of the St. James Palace complex.
Therefore, no great alteration had to be done in order to transform Lancaster House into a royal residency. In fact, its decoration is so extravagantly luxurious that it is said that Queen Victoria herself once said to the owner: “I have come from my House to your Palace.”
GOLDSMITHS’ HALL (London): Diana roller-skating in Buckingham in the show.
In season four, there is an iconic scene in which we see Princess Diana roller-skating though the Palace while listening to music. Well, this scene was filmed at Goldsmiths’ Hall. Oh! and also was the scene where Diana is getting ready for her wedding day (another iconic moment in the show).
Goldsmiths’ Hall is a historical building in central London that opened in 1835 and nowadays it is the house of one of the livery companies of the City of London.
There are plenty of guided tours in the city that will take you to some of these real buildings that feature in The Crown.
You are more than welcome to visit discover these locations in real life! With this tour to Buckingham Palace, Lancaster House, the Parlament and many more places you’ll discover the London through its Kings and Queens! We wish you a royal time!
OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE (Greenwich, London): Courtyard at Buckingham Palace.
In south-east London, in the town of Greenwich there is yet another building that mirrored Buckingham Palace: The Old Royal Naval College.
This is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Old Royal Naval College is reckoned to be the “finest and most dramatically sited architectural and landscape ensemble in the British Isles”. And part of its structure mimics a courtyard at Buckingham Palace in the show.
If you visit this location on the banks of the River Thames, you’ll have no problem imagining yourself really walking through royal galleries and porticos.
And you too can get to know the filming locations in Greenwich with this tour! And if you want to have the complete experience at the Old Royal Naval Collage and visit its famous Panted Hall (also known as the ‘UK’s Sistine Chapel’), this second tour is perfect for you!
If you were wondering where else had you seen these perfectly symmetrical stone walls it was maybe in Les Misérables, Pirates of the Caribbean, Bridgerton, Thor: The Dark World or in Four Weddings and a Funeral.
WROTHAM PARK (Hertfordshire) & WADDESDON MANOR (Buckinghamshire): Queen Elizabeth II and Thatcher at Buckingham Palace.
In season four of the show, Margaret Thatcher arrives at Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen for the first time. And she has the firm intention of bluntly telling Her Majesty all the things that have to change in Great Britain.
This awkward meeting between the two most powerful women in England at the time was filmed inside Wrotham Park. A country house from the 18th century in Hertfordshire, an hour-drive from London.
Unfortunately, Wrotham Park is not open to the public but its neo-Palladian beauty can be appreciated in other works of fiction such as Bridgerton, Kingsman: Secret Service, The King’s Man or The Riot Club.
Only 70 kilometres north-east of Wrotham Park, there is another The Crown filming location that also mimicked Buckingham Palace.
We are talking about Waddesdon Manor, in Buckinghamshire, a breathtaking country house that resembles a French castle.
This idyllic place was built in the 19th century for Baron Rothschild. The Baron wanted to have a recreational property to throw his lavish parties. And he sure did. What a better place to recreate the Queen’s home?
Waddesdon Manor is used to have filming crews around. And its peculiar and opulent style also attracted the attention of one of the most famous English dramas (apart from The Crown, of course): Downton Abbey. Do you want to know Waddesdon Manor? Click here and we’ll tell you how to visit this “fake” Buckingham Palace.
KNEBWORTH HOUSE (Hertfordshire): The interiors of Balmoral Castle.
Knebworth House stands only within a 50 kilometres distance north from London, in the county of Hertfordshire. It became the Balmoral Castle in The Crown, the estate house in Scotland where Queen Elizabeth II spent most of her summers.
Balmoral Castle made its appearance in season four, when Lady Diana and Margaret Thatcher visited this royal residence. And both women are subjected to the mighty “Balmoral Test” or the ultimate royal initiation.
The castle exteriors were filmed at Ardverikie House, a Scottish baronial house in the Highlands. But the luxury interiors in Knebworth House were perfect to mimic the rooms of the Queen’s favourite residence.
Nowadays, Knebworth House has updated its traditions, and its gardens are the perfect venue to host rock concerts every summer. And many TV shows and films have also been shot at this location, The King’s Speech and Batman The Movie, among others.
Do you want to step into this amazing real-life set and castle? Click here to find all the details!
HEDSOR HOUSE (Buckinghamshire): 10 Downing Street in the show.
It is not a surprise that we get to see the best-known address in London, 10 Downing Street, countless times in The Crown.
This is the official residence of the Prime Minister, and in season four its tenant is none other than Margaret Thatcher, the first female British Prime Minister.
Her tense relationship with Her Majesty the Queen is portrayed throughout many conversations in Thatcher’s home. And these scenes were filmed in Hedsor House, 45 kilometres west of London.
Hedsor House is an Italianate-style mansion in the heart of the county of Buckinghamshire. At present, Hedsor is used for weddings and corporate events. And it is noteworthy that some of its interiors were also used in The Crown to recreate Balmoral Castle.
However, the iconic Number 10 door that features in the series belongs to a movie set, artificially built to resemble as much as possible the real location. This black door is extremely recognizable, so the replica had to be exact.
ELY CATHEDRAL (Cambridgeshire): Wedding of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Crown turned Ely Cathedral into Westminster Abbey (in London) the day Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip were married.
The historic riverside city of Ely is close to Cambridge (and about two hours north of London) and the cathedral has its origins dates back to the year 672, although the present building was built in the 11th century.
In the show, Claire Foy walked down the aisle for 75 metres, under the watchful eyes of other cast members and extras.
This was a much longer walk than the one Queen Elizabeth had to actually cover the day of her wedding. The reason? Ely Cathedral has one of the longest naves in Britain.
This astonishing cathedral has also been a filming location in movies like The Other Boleyn Girl, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and The King’s Speech. Do you want to step into this famous cathedral? Here you’ll find all the details!
