Photo:Imagno/Getty; Gk Films/Kobal/Shutterstock
Imagno/Getty; Gk Films/Kobal/Shutterstock
The British royal family has captured the public’s imagination for generations, whether that’s as a driver of tourism for visitors who want to see the grand palaces, historical sites and jewel collections of the United Kingdom, or as a source of inspiration for authors and auteurs throughout the decades.Many movies and television shows have told accounts — both fictional and based on true events — of British nobility, from the striving members of Regency society depicted inBridgertonto the more modern history editorialized inThe Crown.And telling these stories requires sumptuous costuming, attention to historical detail and, of course, an appropriately regal setting.See which remarkable manors and estates have stood in for royal homes throughout history.
The British royal family has captured the public’s imagination for generations, whether that’s as a driver of tourism for visitors who want to see the grand palaces, historical sites and jewel collections of the United Kingdom, or as a source of inspiration for authors and auteurs throughout the decades.
Many movies and television shows have told accounts — both fictional and based on true events — of British nobility, from the striving members of Regency society depicted inBridgertonto the more modern history editorialized inThe Crown.And telling these stories requires sumptuous costuming, attention to historical detail and, of course, an appropriately regal setting.
See which remarkable manors and estates have stood in for royal homes throughout history.
01of 14Arundel Castle in West Sussex, EnglandDavid Goddard/Getty; Gk Films/Kobal/ShutterstockThe remarkableArundel Castle, which has original components dating back to its 1067 construction (though much of it dates to the its Victorian-era rebuilding), stood in for Windsor Castle in the 2001 filmAlbert & Victoria,starring Emily Blunt as the young Queen Victoria and Rupert Friend as her beloved husband.In real life, Victoria and Albert had a connection to the castle, having stayed there in 1846 and planted an oak tree to commemorate their visit.
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Arundel Castle in West Sussex, England
David Goddard/Getty; Gk Films/Kobal/Shutterstock
The remarkableArundel Castle, which has original components dating back to its 1067 construction (though much of it dates to the its Victorian-era rebuilding), stood in for Windsor Castle in the 2001 filmAlbert & Victoria,starring Emily Blunt as the young Queen Victoria and Rupert Friend as her beloved husband.
In real life, Victoria and Albert had a connection to the castle, having stayed there in 1846 and planted an oak tree to commemorate their visit.
02of 14Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, EnglandAlamyThe palace intrigue in 2018’sThe Favouritetakes place in 1705 during the reign of Queen Anne, with Emma Stone’s Abigail and Rachel Weisz’s Sarah vying for the favor of the ailing Anne.Hatfield Houseand its beautiful gardens played the role of Kensington Palace in the film.
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Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, England
Alamy
The palace intrigue in 2018’sThe Favouritetakes place in 1705 during the reign of Queen Anne, with Emma Stone’s Abigail and Rachel Weisz’s Sarah vying for the favor of the ailing Anne.Hatfield Houseand its beautiful gardens played the role of Kensington Palace in the film.
03of 14Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, EnglandUniversal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty; Pathe/Kobal/ShutterstockThe grounds of this grand estate served asthe beautifully manicured and meticulously maintained gardensHelen Mirren’s Queen Elizabeth II walked through in 2006’sThe Queen.
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Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, England
Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty; Pathe/Kobal/Shutterstock
The grounds of this grand estate served asthe beautifully manicured and meticulously maintained gardensHelen Mirren’s Queen Elizabeth II walked through in 2006’sThe Queen.
04of 14Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, EnglandChristopher Simon Sykes/Hulton Archive/Getty; Justin Downing/NetlixThe stately Belvoir Castle helped the various actors who portrayed Queen Elizabeth II onThe Crown(pictured here: Imelda Staunton) get into characters, as its interiors doubled for Windsor Palace.The castle’s social media account posted an inside look at one of the scenes.
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Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, England
Christopher Simon Sykes/Hulton Archive/Getty; Justin Downing/Netlix
The stately Belvoir Castle helped the various actors who portrayed Queen Elizabeth II onThe Crown(pictured here: Imelda Staunton) get into characters, as its interiors doubled for Windsor Palace.
The castle’s social media account posted an inside look at one of the scenes.
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Eilean Donan in Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland
Built in the thirteenth century as a defensive wall, and added to over time until it became the imposing fortress it is today, this island castle served as the home to Clan McLeod in 1986’sHighlanderand Fotheringhay Castle in 2007’sElizabeth: The Golden Age.
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Hampton Court Palace in Richmond Upon Thames, England
Chris Jackson/Getty; Gk Films/Kobal/Shutterstock
07of 14Montacute House in South Somerset, EnglandAlamy; BBC/AlamyAnother manor with a Henry VIII connection: Monacute House served as a filming location for scenes inWolf Hall,where it stood in for the Tudors' home Greenwich Palace.
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Montacute House in South Somerset, England
Alamy; BBC/Alamy
Another manor with a Henry VIII connection: Monacute House served as a filming location for scenes inWolf Hall,where it stood in for the Tudors' home Greenwich Palace.
08of 14Ardverikie House in Inverness-shire, ScotlandAbstract Aerial Art via Getty; Sophie Mutevelian/NetflixThe royal family spends their holidays at Balmoral, so a suitable location was needed to film scenes set there onThe Crown, including one where Margaret Thatcher made a visit. It’s a 19th-century baronial home, which now is available to rent for weddings.
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Ardverikie House in Inverness-shire, Scotland
Abstract Aerial Art via Getty; Sophie Mutevelian/Netflix
The royal family spends their holidays at Balmoral, so a suitable location was needed to film scenes set there onThe Crown, including one where Margaret Thatcher made a visit. It’s a 19th-century baronial home, which now is available to rent for weddings.
09of 14Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, EnglandEnglish Heritage/Getty; Paramount Pictures/AlamyIt’s not aMission: Impossibleto see why this gorgeous estate has stood in for Buckingham Palace in the film’sRogue Nationinstallment, as well as inQueen CharlotteandThe Young Victoria.It shares much of the ornate details and elegant landscaping as the royal residence and was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.
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Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England
English Heritage/Getty; Paramount Pictures/Alamy
It’s not aMission: Impossibleto see why this gorgeous estate has stood in for Buckingham Palace in the film’sRogue Nationinstallment, as well as inQueen CharlotteandThe Young Victoria.It shares much of the ornate details and elegant landscaping as the royal residence and was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.
10of 14Lancaster House in London, EnglandAlamy; LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIXQueen Charlotte called this elegant London mansion home inBridgerton, and it was also featured inThe King’s Speech.Its lavish interiors have doubled for Buckingham Palace many times on screen, including inDownton AbbeyandThe Crown.
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Lancaster House in London, England
Alamy; LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX
Queen Charlotte called this elegant London mansion home inBridgerton, and it was also featured inThe King’s Speech.Its lavish interiors have doubled for Buckingham Palace many times on screen, including inDownton AbbeyandThe Crown.
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Alamy; Alex Bailey/Bbc/Focus Features/Kobal/Shutterstock
Look for this dramatic medieval-era English country house in films such asThe Other Boleyn Girl(2008) andMary, Queen of Scots(2018).
12of 14Wilton House in Wiltshire, EnglandDavid Goddard/Getty; LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIXAnother elegant home whose interiors has substituted for Buckingham Palace in many productions includingBridgertonandThe Crown,Wilton House is currently home to the Earl of Pembroke and is renowned for its gardens.
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Wilton House in Wiltshire, England
David Goddard/Getty; LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX
Another elegant home whose interiors has substituted for Buckingham Palace in many productions includingBridgertonandThe Crown,Wilton House is currently home to the Earl of Pembroke and is renowned for its gardens.
13of 14Knebworth House in Hertfordshire, EnglandDeAgostini/Getty; Weinstein Co/Uk Film Council/See Saw/Kobal/ShutterstockHaving belonged to the Lytton family since 1490, Knebworth House is still home to a Lytton descendant but is also home to an annual outdoor music festival and has also served as Balmoral in several film productions, includingThe King’s SpeechandThe Crown.
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Knebworth House in Hertfordshire, England
DeAgostini/Getty; Weinstein Co/Uk Film Council/See Saw/Kobal/Shutterstock
Having belonged to the Lytton family since 1490, Knebworth House is still home to a Lytton descendant but is also home to an annual outdoor music festival and has also served as Balmoral in several film productions, includingThe King’s SpeechandThe Crown.
14of 14Ham House in Richmond Upon Thames, EnglandAlamy; ShutterstockHam House gained notoriety in the late 1600s as powerful courtiers lived there and made it a popular place for other nobility to visit and stay. In more recent years it has been restored to be a public destination and museum, and many productions have been filmed there, including 2017’sVictoria and Abdul.
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Ham House in Richmond Upon Thames, England
Alamy; Shutterstock
Ham House gained notoriety in the late 1600s as powerful courtiers lived there and made it a popular place for other nobility to visit and stay. In more recent years it has been restored to be a public destination and museum, and many productions have been filmed there, including 2017’sVictoria and Abdul.
source: people.com
