With all the buzz in the newspapers about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s impending engagement we’re coming down with a touch of royal fever here in the Evan Evans offices. This isn’t helped by the fact that half of our number are pretty much addicted to ‘The Crown’ on Netflix.
This fantastic new series dramatizes the life and reign of our current Queen Elizabeth II. Filled with political intrigue and romance, the series has been an overwhelming 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 first season.
After a bit of Googling, we’ve discovered that most of the buildings and estates on the show are open to the public. You really can step inside the show and enjoy a little piece of the royal lifestyle all for yourself. We’ve picked out six of the most stunning locations, many of which are easily found in the capital. Enjoy! The best locations from Netflix’s The Crown
Lancaster House, The Mall
This stately mansion opposite St James’ Palace in central London has some stunning interiors and has been used as a double for the interior of Buckingham Palace in a number of different 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 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 Nav
al 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 is owned by the National Trust and is completely open to the public. We’re looking forward to seeing this beautiful estate featured in The Crown season two.
Ely Cathedral, Ely
The Crown is the sixth major production to be filmed in Ely’s grandiose gothic cathedral, and the perfect setting for Elizabeth and Phillip’s illustrious wedding. Although it’s 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 and welcomes members of the public as 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.
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.
