Where was Queen Charlotte filmed? Stately home filming locations of Netflix Bridgerton prequel

Bridgerton became Netflix’s most popular English-language series when it first landed on the site in 2020, with 625 million hours streamed globally. It now trails just four other shows - The Night Agent, Dahmer, Wednesday, and Stranger Things season 4.

The second season proved even more popular than the first, with 656 million hours streamed, and the latest spin-off series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is likely to prove just as popular. 

Much of the allure of the series, apart from the courtly intrigue and steamy romances, is the beautiful settings featured across the show. It seems that almost no English stately home has escaped the Bridgerton film crew’s attention. The new series was filmed over six months from March to August 2022, and featured many more grand buildings and estates.

With the latest series on Netflix now, we explore where the show was set and which beautiful properties were used as filming locations. 

Belton House

Belton House is a Grade I 17th century country house in Lincolnshire owned by the National Trust since 1984. The property portrays Kew Palace, one of Queen Charlotte and King George III’s primary residences. George is seen living there at the start of the series.

Blenheim Palace

The grand 18th century Oxfordshire mansion is the stand in for Buckingham House (which was converted into a palace in the 1820s), the residence of UK monarchs since 1837. Blenheim is also famous as being the birthplace and ancestral home of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill. In the series, Queen Charlotte stays at Buckingham House frequently. Interior scenes shot at Hampton Court Palace, Wilton House, Syon House, and Goldsmiths’ Hall were also used for scenes set at Buckingham House.

Ditton Manor

In real life, and in the show, Queen Charlotte was born in Mecklenberg-Strelitz, Germany. She came into the world in the Palace of Mirow, but as Bridgerton was filmed entirely in the UK another suitably luxurious estate needed to be found, and producers landed on Ditton Manor in Slough for exteriors. Interior scenes of Mirow were filmed at Wilton House.

Dorney Court

Dorney Court is the stand in for the Tudor mansion where the Danburys first live in the series. The manor house was originally built around 1440 in Buckinghamshire. The property was sold to  Sir William Garrard, a Tudor merchant and later Lord Mayor of London, in 1552, and it has remained with his family ever since.

Firle Place

Firle Place in Sussex stars as the family home of Violet Ledger, who in the original Bridgerton series is the matriarch of her eight Bridgerton children. In real life, the property has been in the Gage family for half a millennium, going all the way back to Sir John Gage courtier and Constable of the Tower under Henry VIII.

Hampton Court Palace

As well as being used for Buckingham House scenes, this royal palace in Richmond upon Thames which opened at the end of the 17th century, also served as a shooting location for exteriors of the Danbury Estate. The Danburys moved up in the world early on in the series and received an ever grander home than their Tudor mansion. The Danbury ballroom scenes were filmed at the Bath Assembly Rooms, whilst Badminton Estate stood in for their bedrooms.

Hatfield House

Another extravagant property to feature in the series is Hatfield House, built in the early 17th century in Hertfordshire. The home is still in the hands of the aristocracy and is the current residence of the 7th Marquess of Salisbury, however it is open to the public. In Queen Charlotte, Hatfield House makes a brief appearance as the setting for Charlotte’s attempted flight before her wedding, though it has a more prominent role in the original series. 

Merton College

Merton College is part of Oxford University and was founded in the late 13th century - the Hall, where Princess Charlotte and George III’s wedding in the first episode was filmed, is the oldest part of the college complex, having been built in 1277 but largely restored in later centuries. In real life, the royal wedding took place at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace in London.

Waddesdon Manor

Another National Trust property, Waddesdon Manor is a gorgeous late 19th century country house in Aylesbury, and a popular tourist attraction. In Queen Charlotte, the property serves as the backdrop for the scenes between Violet’s father, Lord Ledger, and his lover, Lady Danbury.