Heavy lies the head that wore the crown, with Netflix’s regal series coming to an end with season 6.
If The Crown captured your love for the United Kingdom’s monarchy for nearly a decade, you’re not alone. As we wait for a potential prequel series, the best way to fill the royal void in your heart is to visit these regal sites yourself.
We’ve hit pause on a few of our favorite scenes throughout the series and scribbled down the best filming locations from The Crown that you can visit right now on a trip across the pond.
Image Credit: Justin Downing/Netflix. Image Location: St Andrews, Scotland
The Crown season 6 filming locations
University of St Andrews locations
Closest station: Leuchars
The Crown filmed on location at the University of St Andrews. The St Andrews Harbor was both the on-screen and real-life location where Prince William used to run. The Tesco in St Andrews, St Andrew’s Library, and St Salvator’s College interiors and exteriors were also the real deal.
Other St Andrews filming locations
Additional filming for St Andrews scenes involved some Hollywood trickery. For instance, the University of St Andrews pub interiors were actually filmed at Molly Malones Pub at 5 Alexandra Place. Filming for Kate Middleton’s college residence took place at No. 9 Hope Street instead of No. 13 Hope Street where she actually lived. Nearby North Street also featured: 117 was the cinema, and 24 was the restaurant where Kate worked.
For other seasons, production ventured farther, down to England. The Royal Holloway at the University of London in Egham was used for various interiors, including St Andrews Library and lecture halls, the Arts Building, and halls at St Salvator’s College. Hop on the train from London Waterloo to Egham and you’ll get there in less than an hour.
In Kingston upon Thames, Kingston University portrayed the Student Union interiors for the University of St Andrews, as well as the Birmingham Community Center. Take the train from London Waterloo to Surbiton and you’ll be there in as little as 15 minutes on the fastest services.
🚆 Trainline Tip: The Crown had tons of filming locations, averaging over 100 sites per season. Season 6 is no different. While many are accessible by train, they’re often far apart. Our advice? When you plan a trip somewhere in the UK, see which of The Crown’s filming locations are nearby.
Arbour Lodge, South Platt Hill, Edinburgh
Closest station: Edinburgh Park
Just west of Edinburgh’s center you’ll find… a Canadian ski lodge? Arbour Lodge doubled as the interiors for the Canadian Whistler Ski Chalet.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Abstract Aerial Art. Image Location: Ardverikie Estate, Kinloch Laggan, Scotland
Ardverikie Estate, Kinloch Laggan, Scotland
Closest station: Dalwhinnie
The gorgeous Victorian Gothic Ardverikie Estate portrayed the equally stunning Balmoral Castle interiors and exteriors.
Dartmouth House, Mayfair, London
Closest station: Green Park (London Underground)
Dartmouth House in Mayfair served as a set for the Ritz Paris. You can reach it via Green Park tube station, which is right beside The Ritz London.
The Royal Exchange, London
Closest station: Bank (London Underground)
The Royal Exchange was another Ritz Paris scene and the location for Repossi jewelers.
Phoenix Arts Club, Charing Cross Road, London
Closest station: Tottenham Court Road (London Underground and Elizabeth line)
The Phoenix Arts Club gets the honor of dressing up as the legendary The Pink Sink basement club in the Ritz Paris.
Image Credit: Daniel Escale/Netflix. Image Location: The Savile Club, London
Savile Club, 69 Brook Street, London
Closest station: Bond Street (London Underground and Elizabeth line)
The Savile Club was yet another setting for the Ritz Paris, hosting Princess Margaret’s birthday dinner party.
North Mymms Park, Hertfordshire, England
Closest station: Brookmans Park
North Mymms Park, a romantic wedding venue in Hertfordshire, just north of London, was used for two settings: the interiors and exteriors of the Blairs’ country residence at Chequers and the interiors for Balmoral Castle.
🚂 Trainline Trivia: Arbour Lodge wasn’t the only maple leaf location that Scotland portrayed. Garry Bridge in Pitlochry doubled as the roads of Whistler, Canada.
West Wycombe Park, Buckinghamshire, England
Closest station: High Wycombe
West Wycombe Park’s 18th-century manor house was used for Windsor Castle’s Royal Lodge interior scenes.
Wellington College, Crowthorne, England
Closest station: Crowthorne
Wellington College in Berkshire was one of the many sites stitched together to create the show’s Kensington Palace exteriors.
Image Credit: Getty Images, chrisdorney. Image Location: Rochester Cathedral, Kent, England
Guildhall Museum and Rochester Cathedral, Kent, England
Closest station: Rochester
Rochester’s Guildhall Museum was used for Charles’ marriage proposal to Camilla in the Highgrove Gardens exteriors, while Rochester Cathedral was used for the exteriors of St. George’s Chapel in Windsor and Windsor High Street.
🚂 Trainline Trivia: Cobham Hall, just outside Rochester, was used as a stand-in for interior and exterior Eton College scenes. Take the train west of Rochester to Cuxton, and then a 10-minute taxi ride to Cobham Hall.
RAF Halton Officers’ Mess, Aylesbury, England
Closest station: Wendover
While you can’t spend the night here, RAF Halton made a fictional exception when it became the interiors for the Ritz Paris. It was also the exterior setting for the Paris Villa Windsor scenes.
Winchester College and Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire, England
Closest station: Winchester
Winchester College and Winchester Cathedral were used for Eton College scenes and interiors for both Westminster Abbey and Leeds Church Hall.
York Minster, York, England
Closest station: York
You’re welcome to get lost gazing at the stained-glass windows of the Gothic York Minster. It’s so impressive that you'll see exactly why it was used for the St. George’s Chapel interiors during Charles and Camilla’s wedding.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Alexander Spatari. Image Location: Mayfair, London, England
The Crown season 5 filming locations in London
Trying to fit in a tour of The Crown filming locations along with stops at other famous film and TV locations? Here are five filming locations from The Crown season 5 that you can visit without leaving London.
Dartmouth House as various interiors
Closest station: Green Park (London Underground)
Though visiting a site that was used only as a backdrop for a tailor shop and the British Consulate General in Alexandria isn’t as regal an idea as some other filming locations, Dartmouth House is still worthy of a trip. This 19th-century townhouse turned event center is quite lavish, inside and out.
London Coliseum as Dominion Theatre
Closest station: Charing Cross
The London Coliseum rolled back the clock and was decked out in banners to act as the 1995 Royal Variety Performance. The largest theater in the West End, the London Coliseum is open for weekly performances.
The Charterhouse as St. James’s Palace
Closest station: Barbican (London Underground)
A discussion about the Queen’s potential abdication is made all the more dramatic thanks to the Charterhouse’s striking interior. When it’s not used to mirror St. James’s Palace in The Crown, it’s open to the public as a museum exhibition space.
Image Credit: Ollie Upton/Netflix. Image Location: Lyceum Theatre
Lyceum Theatre as Royal Albert Hall
Closest station: Temple (London Underground)
The famous Royal Albert Hall draws in countless visitors every year, one of whom was Princess Diana. In this season of The Crown, she catches a performance of Swan Lake in what’s actually the Lyceum Theatre in London – a 200-year-old theater in the West End that’s still going strong.
Lancaster House as Buckingham Palace
Closest station: Green Park (London Underground)
Netflix has used many sites as stand-ins for Buckingham Palace, including Lancaster House in season 5 of The Crown. This stylish house is only a few footsteps from the true seat of the monarchy.
Naturally, you could also visit the real locations right in London:
- Dominion Theatre via Tottenham Court Road (London Underground)
- St. James’s Palace via Green Park (London Underground)
- Royal Albert Hall via High Street Kensington (London Underground) or Knightsbridge (London Underground)
- Buckingham Palace via Green Park (London Underground)
Image Credit: Des Willie/Netflix. Image Location: Wrotham Park
Filming locations from previous seasons of The Crown
Don’t limit yourself to London; there are plenty of other filming locations for The Crown that you can visit on a laid-back day trip by train from the capital to cities near these sites.
Wrotham Park as Gatcombe Park
Closest station: Hadley Wood
Wrotham Park acts as Gatcombe Park, Princess Ann’s manor house. Close to London yet far enough away from the city, this Hertfordshire hideaway offers a breath of fresh air in the countryside.
Wilton House as Buckingham Palace
Closest station: Salisbury
Another stand-in for Buckingham Palace, Wilton House is nowhere near central London, though its adventure playground and classic car collection are well worth the visit.
Caernarfon Castle as itself
Closest station: Bangor (Gwynedd)
In season 3 of The Crown, the fictitious Prince of Wales used the very real Welsh castle during filming. It’s a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fantastic reason to cross Wales off your checklist.
Image Credit: Des Willie/Netflix. Image Location: Hedsor House
Hedsor House as Downing Street and Balmoral Castle
Closest station: Bourne End
Acting as interior set pieces for Downing Street and Balmoral Castle, Hedsor House has hosted both Hollywood and legit royalty. You can even rent it out for an ultimate (-ly expensive) The Crown viewing party.
Belvoir Castle as Windsor Castle
Closest station: Grantham
Windsor Castle needs no introduction, but its season 2 and 3 stand-in, Belvoir Castle, certainly deserves more than a mention. Four castles have called this plot of land home between 1067 and today, lending it a history to rival that of Windsor’s.
For the real deal, plot these day trips from London by train (plus maybe a wee bus ride or two):
- Gatcombe Park by train via London to Stroud: from 1h 22m
- Windsor Castle by train via London to Windsor & Eton Central: from 25m
- Balmoral Castle by train via London to Aberdeen: from 7h 6m
Image Credit: Netflix
Where did The Crown film Buckingham Palace?
Did The Crown fool you by staging the Buckingham Palace gates and exterior at Elstree Studios? Since production crews couldn’t film within or outside of the palace, dupes were used. Elstree Studios manufactured the Royal Family’s private quarters and offices. Wilton House in Salisbury provided interior shots. Lancaster House acted as the State Rooms and the Queen’s Office, while Wrotham Park portrayed the Audience Room.
Where did The Crown film Balmoral Castle?
Balmoral Castle was the Queen’s longtime favorite retreat, and there was no way such an important location wouldn’t feature in The Crown. Production couldn’t film on-site, so Ardverikie House in the Scottish Highlands had the honor of acting out the exteriors, and North Mymms Park in Hertfordshire offered the interiors. Hedsor House also had a turn as Balmoral.
Where did The Crown film Kensington Palace?
Another royal residence, another set of stand-ins: The Crown used multiple locations to portray Kensington Palace. Hertfordshire’s Brocket Hall lent the neo-classical façade, while Wellington College in Berkshire got its time in the limelight alongside Elizabeth Debicki’s Princess of Wales.
Where did The Crown film Windsor Castle?
Belvoir Castle, the real-life home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, had a recurring role throughout The Crown. The exteriors and interiors of this Leicestershire castle were used, as were Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire and Burghley House in Lincolnshire. The castle’s Royal Lodge interiors also used Basildon Park. For strictly interior scenes, King’s College, Cambridge, was also used.
Download the Trainline app and visit London to celebrate all things royal history. While you’re in town, book your train tickets to see more TV and film locations in the UK, including:
Header Image Credit: Justin Downing/Netflix
