We’re still awaiting a release date for Bridgerton‘s highly anticipated third season, but in the meantime Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is giving us a look at a crucial character’s backstory. Now streaming on Netflix, the prequel outlines Queen Charlotte’s rise to prominence and power. It promises everything Bridgerton fans adore: a great love story and dramatic societal shifts, all set against extravagant scenery. This time, we’re breaking away from the time period that inspired the Regencycore design trend and stepping back into Georgian England, though some episodes do flash forward. For that reason, it’s no surprise to us that some of the most stunning filming locations feature in both shows. Ahead, take a look at the new and returning castles, palaces, houses, and other filming locations across the United Kingdom that serve as backdrops for the royal universe.
What Are The New Locations Featured In Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story?
Blenheim Palace is the “big jewel in the crown” of the show’s locations, as supervising location manager Tony Hood put it in a press brief. Located in the town of Woodstock in Oxfordshire, England, the country house portrays the interior and exterior of Buckingham House (now called Buckingham Palace) and is used for the show’s final ball scene. The palace has a true historical connection to the real Queen Charlotte and King George III: They were close friends with the owners of the residence, the fourth Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. On their first visit to the property, King George III reportedly gasped to Queen Charlotte, “We have nothing to equal this.” They’re said to have gone home and revamped Buckingham House shortly afterward. The incredible World Heritage Site is open to visitors and is currently undergoing various restoration and conservation projects to maintain the palace, park, and gardens.
The production wasn’t able to film at the actual Kew Palace, the home of George III and Queen Charlotte, because it was too small. So the team chose Belton House to stand in for the iconic residence. “That was a really fantastic find for us,” Hood said. “It’s a National Trust property with really lovely grounds. The interiors really do lean towards this period. It’s run by a small and dedicated team, and they hadn’t done any filming there since the 1990s.”
The location also represented Kew Observatory, George’s garden, and the Buckingham House Orangery. The site was used for exterior shots of the observatory (with a boost from visual effects), while the interiors were built sets at Shinfield Studios. On a four-quadrant garden area, the production team planted a real vegetable garden. “We used about 80 tons of soil to create a whole vegetable patch,” Hood said. “George was, after all, very keen on industrializing the farming system.”
Merton College
The royal wedding ceremony was filmed at Merton College, one of Oxford University’s most beautiful college campuses. It was specifically chosen because of the way its chapel’s pews face each other. “The reason we picked Merton is that it allows you to see the dichotomy of the old ton and the new ton,” Hood explained. “We wanted to have them looking at each other during the royal wedding and to see the reactions between the two. So we wanted to have a set of pews that faced each other instead of just facing the altar up front.”
While Waddesdon Manor was used for various interior and exterior shots throughout the series, it acts most prominently as the location where Lady Danbury and Lord Ledger develop their romance. “Waddesdon is a Rothschilds home, and there are about four or five of them in that area,” Hood said. “There’s a fantastic aviary in the gardens with some really rare birds in there, and we used that and a couple surrounding areas for some of the initial scenes with Lady Agatha and Lord Ledger.”
Firle Place
Situated between Brighton and Eastbourne in East Sussex, Firle Place was used to portray the Ledger estate. “It has this beautiful, long gallery on the first floor that we used, a number of other really lovely Georgian rooms, and a particularly nice staircase,” Hood said.
In reality, the country residence has been the home of the Gage family for more than 500 years and is currently occupied by Henry Nicholas, 8th Viscount, and his family. The house and grounds are open to visitors seasonally.
Which locations are also featured in Bridgerton?
Many dreamy locations can be spotted in both shows, including Hatfield House, where Charlotte and George first meet in the garden; Dorney Court, which serves as the Danbury cottage; Badminton Estate, which is the setting for the Danburys’ estate during the Great Experiment as well as Lady Danbury’s home across timelines; Ditton Manor, which portrays the exterior of Mirow Castle; Wilton House, which was used for some interiors of St. James Palace and Mirow Castle; Hampton Court Palace, which also lent backdrops for St. James Palace and the exterior of Lady Danbury’s estate; Bath Assembly Rooms, where the ball in both shows is held; Hackney Empire, an East London theater that was used for opera scenes in both shows; and The Queen’s House, where we first meet Dr. Monro. Other locations include Syon House, Goldsmiths Hall, the Old Royal Naval College, and Woolwich Barracks.
If you’re eager to find out more about the filming locations in Bridgerton, we have you covered. Plus, learn how the all-pink home in season two (that would totally make Barbie jealous) came to be. And stay tuned for a deep dive into the sure-to-be glamorous locations in Bridgerton’s upcoming third and fourth seasons.
