Netflix’s The Crown has become a global phenomenon, transforming millions of viewers into armchair experts on British royal history. But beyond the drama and intrigue, the series is a masterclass in film location scouting—it’s filmed at real palaces, stately homes, and historic locations across the UK. For fans wanting to walk where the Queen walked, see the spaces where pivotal moments occurred, and understand the visual language of monarchy itself, visiting these locations is an illuminating experience that blurs the line between history, fiction, and reality.
Real Palaces vs. Filming Substitutes: Understanding the Geography
Here’s the critical thing to understand about filming The Crown: while many real palaces appear in establishing shots and certain scenes, full interior filming typically happened at locations chosen for practical and creative reasons rather than historical accuracy. The production needed:
- Spaces large enough for camera rigs and crews (which often meant purpose-built estates rather than working royal residences)
- Locations with flexible shooting schedules (working palaces couldn’t accommodate the demands of television production)
- Architectural aesthetic that matched without needing to be the actual location
This means The Crown uses a mix of genuine royal locations, historic estates repurposed for filming, and strategically chosen stand-ins. Understanding which is which actually deepens your appreciation of the show’s visual storytelling.
Ely Cathedral as Westminster Abbey
One of the cleverest location choices was using Ely Cathedral (near Cambridge) as Westminster Abbey. The cathedral’s stunning Gothic architecture, soaring nave, and atmospheric lighting served as the primary interior for the coronation and other major state occasions. Westminster Abbey itself was used for establishing shots, but the intimate interior scenes that define key episodes were filmed at Ely.
Ely Cathedral is accessible to visitors year-round. Entry is reasonable (about £9 USD), and the cathedral is genuinely magnificent—one of England’s finest Gothic structures. Standing in the actual space where the coronation scenes were filmed, you gain an appreciation for both the real ceremony and its fictional representation. The light streaming through the windows, the scale of the space, and the architectural details create an undeniable sense of historical grandeur.
The cathedral city of Ely, about 75 minutes north of London by train, is worth exploring beyond the cathedral itself. It’s a charming market town with riverside walks and traditional restaurants.
Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Located in Greenwich Park (southeast London), the Old Royal Naval College is a stunning baroque complex designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The college’s symmetrical buildings, courtyards, and ceremonial spaces served as filming locations for various royal and state occasions in The Crown.
The Old Royal Naval College is now open to the public (entry is free) and is one of London’s most underrated historical sites. The painted hall, with its extraordinary baroque ceiling, is particularly impressive. Walking through the courtyards and imagining scenes from The Crown playing out in these real spaces creates a powerful sense of connection between historical fact and television drama.
The location is easily accessible: take the train to Cutty Sark station (DLR) or Greenwich station (overground). While you’re in Greenwich, you can visit the Royal Observatory, the Meridian Line, and the National Maritime Museum—making Greenwich a full day of historical exploration.
Lancaster House, London
Lancaster House in St. James’s (central London, near Buckingham Palace) is a stunning aristocratic townhouse that served as a primary interior filming location for The Crown. The house’s state rooms, with their ornate architecture and grand proportions, doubled for various palace interiors. The famous state rooms—the Lancaster Dining Room, the Gallery, and others—are instantly recognizable to devoted Crown viewers.
Remarkably, Lancaster House is open to the public during the summer months (usually July-August, though dates vary), and entry is free. It’s one of London’s genuine hidden gems. The house feels authentically palatial without the artificiality of a museum—you’re walking actual state rooms where real historical events have occurred and where The Crown was filmed.
Book ahead, as spaces are limited during open days. The house is also sometimes used for government events and private functions, so availability varies. Check ahead at the Lancaster House official website.
Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire
Pronounced “beaver,” Belvoir Castle is a stunning country castle in the East Midlands that served as a filming location for various scenes in The Crown. The castle’s dramatic position on a hilltop, its gray stone architecture, and its impressive interiors made it an ideal stand-in for various royal and aristocratic locations throughout the series.
Belvoir is open to the public during the summer months (May through October, typically), with entry around £15-17 USD. The castle is still a functioning aristocratic residence (home to the Dukes of Rutland), which means access is sometimes limited, and there are occasional closures for family events. However, when open, the grounds and many interiors are accessible.
The castle offers wonderful views across Leicestershire’s countryside, and the gardens are particularly beautiful in summer. It’s a longer journey from London (about 2.5 hours by car or train), but it rewards the effort for fans serious about Crown locations.
Ardverikie House, Scottish Highlands
Ardverikie House in the Scottish Highlands served as the primary filming location for Balmoral Castle (the Scottish royal residence) in The Crown. The house’s baronial Victorian architecture and Highland setting provided the perfect aesthetic for the dramatic Scottish scenes that are central to many Crown episodes, particularly those dealing with the Queen’s relationship with the Scottish landscape and people.
Ardverikie is a private residence and not routinely open to the public. However, it occasionally opens for special events or can be visited by arrangement. Check ahead if you’re planning a Scottish trip. Even if you can’t access the house itself, the surrounding landscape—the Highlands, lochs, and mountains—capture the visual essence of The Crown’s Highland scenes.
If you’re interested in the Balmoral/Ardverikie storyline, consider taking the train to Scotland and exploring the Highlands more broadly. The scenery itself is a character in The Crown, and experiencing it firsthand is worthwhile regardless of whether you can access Ardverikie specifically.
Doing a Crown-Themed London Walk
The Crown’s London scenes are scattered across the city, and while you can’t visit every interior filming location, you can do a self-guided Crown walk through central London that hits major historical and architectural landmarks featured in the show:
Start at Buckingham Palace (not accessible inside for most visitors, but the exterior is iconic and appears throughout The Crown as establishing shots). Walk through St. James’s Park.
Visit Lancaster House (if it’s open during your visit), which you now know doubles for palace interiors.
Walk through St. James’s neighbourhood: the narrow streets, Georgian townhouses, and the sense of old London that The Crown captures so effectively.
Head to Westminster Abbey: the actual cathedral where coronations and state occasions occur. The interior is magnificent and provides context for the Ely Cathedral filming locations.
Visit the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben: political locations that feature prominently in Crown storylines dealing with parliamentary drama.
Walk along the South Bank: the Thames provides the backdrop for many establishing shots and scenes of London that create the show’s visual atmosphere.
This walk can easily take a full day, combining Crown locations with general London sightseeing. You’re not just retracing Crown filming locations; you’re walking through the actual historical geography where the events depicted in the show occurred.
Understanding the Layering of Reality and Drama
What makes The Crown locations particularly interesting is that they blur the line between historical reality and dramatized fiction. When you visit Westminster Abbey, you’re seeing where the real coronation occurred. When you visit Ely Cathedral, you’re seeing where the TV coronation was filmed. And when you read about these locations in historical guidebooks, you’re encountering facts that The Crown’s writers used as source material.
This layering—real event, historical location, filming location, dramatization—is what makes visiting Crown locations so intellectually stimulating. You’re not just consuming entertainment; you’re engaging with real history, understanding how that history was adapted for drama, and appreciating the craft of filmmaking and historical storytelling.
Planning Your Crown Locations Tour
Most Crown locations are concentrated in or near London, making them manageable for a week-long visit:
The best time to visit is May through September, when attractions have longer hours and the weather is most reliable. Book Lancaster House visits ahead if possible, as summer openings fill quickly.
A The Crown locations tour isn’t just about following a TV show—it’s about understanding how modern historical drama uses real locations to create an immersive experience that blurs the distinction between fact and fiction, and how engaging with these actual places deepens our understanding of both the show and the history it depicts.
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