Is The Crown filmed at Buckingham Palace or any of the other royal residences?

The Crown’s filming locations really bring the intriguing world of the British Royal Family to life—but is the hit drama series really filmed at these iconic royal residences?

The Crown has captured audience’s imaginations with its brilliant depiction of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Though some might have been left wondering how accurate The Crown really is, the magnificent sets and acting make for a binge-watchable show we can’t help but be drawn into. With many The Crown season 5 cast, plot and release date details still to be completely confirmed, the anticipation is building for the next series to land on the popular streaming platform. 

After all, with Prince Charles and Princess Diana already taking centre stage in season 4, it’s no surprise fans will be eager to see who will be taking over as Princess Diana in The Crown season 5 as the time period moves into the dramatic 1990s. 

But whilst the talented cast is undoubtedly a major highlight of the drama, the The Crown filming locations are just as enticing. There’s nothing like seeing the Royal Family in their historic royal residences on screen, though many people might be wondering how real these settings actually are.

We know that some members of the Royal Family have seen The Crown, but is the show really filmed at Buckingham Palace and where are the other The Crown filming locations?   

Was The Crown filmed at Buckingham Palace?

Though it might come as somewhat of a disappointment to The Crown fans, the hit show was not actually filmed at Buckingham Palace (unlike parts of the Kate and William anniversary documentary). As the Queen’s primary London residence, securing royal permission to film here would likely not be easy. Some of the Buckingham Palace you see on screen has been recreated at Elstree Studios, such as the grand entrance gate and inner courtyard. 

However, there are many other The Crown filming locations for Buckingham Palace that have all the splendour viewers would expect from such an iconic royal palace. Buckingham Palace in the show is made up from different locations, including the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London,

This has stunning walkways and terraces that double perfectly for the exterior of Buckingham Palace as one of the The Crown filming locations. Meanwhile, according to Forbes, it was Wrotham Park in Hertfordshire that stood in for Her Majesty's private audience room, where she met her various Prime Ministers, including Margaret Thatcher in season 4. 

And when it comes to interior scenes, Wilton House in Wiltshire featured frequently across The Crown's seasons. Its breath-takingly opulent Double Cube Room came up time and time again and we can't wait to see if it'll make another appearance in The Crown season 5. 

This stunning stately home was also recently used as a filming location for another equally successful Netflix show, Bridgerton. Whilst this might sound like more than enough locations to recreate Buckingham Palace on screen in The Crown, there are still several others believed to have been included. 

It’s been suggested that other key The Crown filming locations for Buckingham Palace include Lancaster House, which is managed and run by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and Goldsmiths Hall.

Was The Crown filmed at Balmoral Castle? 

Anyone who has kept up-to-date on all The Crown episodes will remember that shocking episode in The Crown season 4, titled ‘The Balmoral Test’. Fans were left wondering if the famous Balmoral Test is real and whether Margaret Thatcher actually took part, whilst they also saw Lady Diana Spencer invited to the Queen’s Scottish home. As with Buckingham Palace, the real Balmoral Castle wasn’t used as a filming location, however, and according to Travel+Leisure, it was the equally impressive Ardverikie Castle in Inverness-shire which stood in for it as one of the The Crown filming locations. 

The 19th century baronial house is said to have been used as a stand-in for Balmoral in every season of the show, with its gothic turrets so similar to the dramatic towers of the real Balmoral Castle. Ardverikie Castle first rose to prominence on screen in the long-running BBC series, Monarch of the Glen, cementing its status as a truly regal residence.

Was The Crown filmed at Windsor Castle? 

The Queen’s Berkshire home, Windsor Castle, has become even more recognizable to royal fans in recent years, after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot at St George’s Chapel there in 2018. The Queen and Prince Philip went on to spend much of the UK’s lockdown there last year and it was here that the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral service was held in April 2021. 

Built by William the Conqueror, Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. It has been the family home of British kings and queens for almost 1000 years and given its rich history, it’s very appropriate that two very historic properties are understood to have been used as The Crown filming locations for Windsor Castle.

As reported by Forbes, in the show, 11th century Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire and 16th century Burghley House in Lincolnshire have both been used. According to the publication, Belvoir Castle provides many of the interiors for Windsor Castle and many of the most beautiful rooms feature, including the Elizabeth Saloon and the Regent’s Gallery.

Was The Crown filmed at Sandringham House? 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Queen’s Christmas plans changed last year, though she traditionally spends the festive period at her Norfolk residence, Sandringham House. In The Crown season 4, viewers saw the Royal Family gathering here, but, as with each of the other royal residences, it was actually filmed at a completely different location. Instead, Somerleyton Hall in Suffolk acted as Sandringham House during the latest series. 

In an insightful post featured on the Somerleyton Hall official website, Somerleyton’s events manager Peter Thompson revealed why the hall doubles so brilliantly for Her Majesty’s countryside residence. 

“Somerleyton Hall and Sandringham House share many of the same design roots. Both were originally Jacobean houses that were extensively remodelled in the Victorian era, so they have a very similar feel and sensibility about them,” he explained.

Whilst it’s not yet known if Somerleyton Hall will be featured as Sandringham House in The Crown season 5, with it’s similar design roots, it seems to be the ideal choice for any future Sandringham scenes.

Was The Crown filmed at Highgrove House? 

Whilst Prince Charles’ primary London residence, Clarence House, is perhaps more well-known, his Gloucestershire home, Highgrove House, has also featured in The Crown. Somerley House on the Hampshire/Dorset border is believed to have been used as a filming location and, as with Wilton House, was also featured in Bridgerton. The manor house and gardens make for a beautiful and believable stand-in for the Prince of Wales’ countryside retreat.  

With the exact storylines of the upcoming season 5 yet to be unveiled, we'll just have to wait and see if any of these stunning The Crown filming locations appear in the next instalment of the hit show.