12 “The Crown” Filming Locations To Visit in and Around London

The creators of The Crown couldn’t use the real Buckingham Palace during filming, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t able to convincingly recreate it on screen. Across multiple series and scenes, Lancaster House served as a double for the royal family’s most famous address.

Built in 1825, the house was the favorite abode of another long-lived queen (Victoria, that is), conveniently located just steps from the real deal. While it only opens to the public on occasion, you can always see the Lancaster House’s exterior during a London walking tour.

In season one of The Crown, a youthful Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip step out, dressed to the nines, to attend a royal gala. Later, in season five, Princess Diana attends a performance of Swan Lake shortly before her death.

What unites both scenes? The 18th-century Lyceum Theatre, a space which evidently proved to be quite the versatile backdrop. You can admire the theater—which is located in the middle of Central London amid Covent Garden’s bustle—on an immersive walking tour. Or, better yet, you can head inside when you book tickets to see The Lion King, which has been running at the venue since 1999.

Looking to tour The Crown filming sites? Make haste to the Greenwich neighborhood. Every time that the royal family gathers on Buckingham Palace’s balcony to address the adoring subjects below, they were really doing so at the Old Royal Naval College, which was even fitted with a temporary portico for the filming of the show.

In reality, though, the UNESCO World Heritage–listed landmark makes a spectacular impression in its own right. Walking tours and film location tours offer different ways to explore the Christopher Wren–designed marvel, and you can even spot it from the water’s edge on a Thames sightseeing cruise.

Often overlooked in favor of royal blockbusters such as Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace, the lesser-known Eltham Palace is worth journeying deep into southeast London to discover. The singular landmark is a mishmash of architectural styles, with its Tudor buildings (which were home to King Henry VIII during his childhood) and 1930s art deco extension.

That architectural flexibility—and modern twist—meant it could be used for several scenes in season one of The Crown, including as a double for the Bermuda Government House and Queen Elizabeth’s quarters aboard the Royal Yacht.

Few scenes from The Crown are more iconic than the one in season four, when a young Princess Diana rollerskates through the halls of Buckingham Palace with her cassette player. In the making of the show, actor Emma Corrin is actually gliding through the gilded hallways of London’s Goldsmiths’ Hall.

The hall is open to the public during the annual Goldsmiths’ Fair in the autumn, as well as for select open days throughout the year. It’s worth timing your visit to see its fittingly opulent interiors and combining it with a wander around the nearby St. Paul’s.

St Albans Cathedral is one of the most stunning historical places featured in The Crown. In real life, Princess Margaret wed photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones in Westminster Abbey. However, in season two of the series, the event was filmed in part at St Albans Cathedral.

Just a quick trip north of the city via mainline trains, the cathedral is also a striking landmark beyond its cinematic connections. It's a popular stop for architecture fans and history buffs alike, thanks to its history dating back to Norman times. In fact, it’s billed as the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain.

Much like how the crew of The Crown couldn’t actually film in Buckingham Palace, the real-life Windsor Castle (the largest and oldest continually occupied royal residence in the world) was also off-limits. But the stately Belvoir Castle, located in Leicestershire, makes an apt on-screen double inside and out, despite the fact that its medieval looks actually only date back to the 19th century.

The castle is open daily to visitors throughout the year, so you can see the site of scenes from The Crown's first three seasons. (One tip before you visit, though: It’s pronounced “Beaver.” And no, we don’t know why.)

Belvoir Castle wasn’t the only Windsor Castle doppelganger used for filming. Burghley House, which is near Belvoir Castle and within day-trip distance of London, also served as the famed castle. The 1992 fire, which destroyed hundreds of the Windsor Castle’s rooms, was memorably depicted during the show’s fifth season. (Don’t worry: Burghley House itself wasn’t harmed during the making of The Crown.)

If you choose to visit this 16th-century gem of Elizabethan architecture, know that you’ll be in company: Both Princess Anne and Princess Diana stopped by Burghley House in real life.

Some of the royal family’s most important ceremonies, from weddings to funerals, have been held at Westminster Abbey. But with that location unavailable for filming, pivotal scenes including Princess Diana’s funeral were instead shot at Winchester Cathedral.

In many ways, the landmark is hardly less notable than its lookalike. With a history that dates to the 11th century, it’s also the final resting place of several notable people, ranging from Jane Austen to Saxon kings. Best of all, it’s easy to visit on a day trip from London, alongside other nearby highlights such as Stonehenge and Windsor Castle.

Waddesdon Manor is located less than two hours by car northwest of London—but it looks like it was imported straight from France, thanks to its classical château architecture. Little wonder, then, that the series’ location scouts chose it as a duplicate of the Ritz Paris, which Mohamed Al-Fayed is seen purchasing in season five. The landmark’s real-life pedigree is no less ritzy: Built for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in the 19th century, it’s renowned as a wine estate today and one of the National Trust’s most-visited properties.

If you’ll be exploring The Crown show’s real settings, Manchester offers a less-than-expected sightseeing opportunity. Just two hours north of London by train, the city’s buzzy Northern Quarter—a lively neighborhood known for its wealth of bars, restaurants, and thrift shops—had a special cameo in the series.

If memory doesn't serve, don't be surprised: In season four, the Northern Quarter wasn't featured as itself, but as the streets of New York City, which Princess Diana visited on her own. However, you can explore the history and street art of the Northern Quarter on a walking tour or tuck in on a food crawl. It may not really look like the Big Apple, but it’s got an urban charm all of its own.

Sure, the Ardverikie Estate—located near Fort William in the Scottish Highlands—isn’t exactly close to London. But if you’re inspired to explore historical places featured in The Crown, it’s worth making a pilgrimage up north to discover this 19th-century lochside landmark.

A substitute for Balmoral Castle (the Queen’s preferred summertime retreat and the location of her passing in 2022), Ardverikie Estate logged generous screen time across multiple seasons of The Crown. And don’t worry if you’ve made a long journey to get there: There are holiday cottages for visitors located all across the estate.