Bridgerton is back! Well, it’s mostly back. It’s half back. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story takes us back to the world of Lady Whistledown and does include some new drama to fill in the gap between season 2 and season 3 of the Netflix series. But there’s also an entirely new story about the young romance between Queen Charlotte and King George III. That means that Queen Charlotte’s filming locations are new as well. If you’re looking to visit or simply as nosy as Eloise Bridgerton, here’s where Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story filmed.
Stuff like this especially interesting to me as an American viewer, I think, because while we do have historic mansions in the United States (shout-out to the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, Hearst Castle of course, and the whole crew in Newport, Rhode Island), there aren’t nearly as many–and they’re spread out when you consider how small the UK is compared to the U.S. Seriously, I did a quick and dirty Google search that generated “18 of America’s Best Historic Homes to Visit” and “300 Best Historic Houses to Visit in the United Kingdom.” THREE HUNDRED! Every time I watch a period drama that filmed on location, I’m fascinated by how these gorgeous castles and country homes just like…exist at a stone’s throw, like a Starbucks. So here’s what we’re working with:
Queen Charlotte filmed in the United Kingdom.
The show is made in the country where it takes place. The studio that production uses is called Shepperton Studios. It is located in Surrey, England. A lot of major films have set up shop there, including Mamma Mia Here We Go Again, Paddington, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and several Marvel movies.
You’ll recognize Lady Danbury’s house, the Bridgerton family’s London homestead, and certain parts of Bath used to represent the ton from the original series in both flash-forwards and the regular storyline. You can find out more about those right over here…
These real-life houses became the palaces in Queen Charlotte
Based on some reports noting where the show was filming and my own eagle eye, here’s what I can surmise. To shoot scenes outside palaces, in gardens, and occasionally inside grand rooms IRL, the Bridgerton prequel frequented some new country houses, palaces, and stately homes in England. For example, the show filmed at Belton House in Lincolnshire for scenes taking place at Kew Palace (where King George likes to spend his time):
And at Hedsor House in Berkshire:
And at Ditton Manor in Royal Berkshire:
These are private homes, which means you can’t really go and visit them. But one major filming location is open to the public. Blenheim Palace, located just outside of Oxford, stands in for Buckingham Palace—then called Buckingham House—on the series.
At the beginning of Queen Charlotte, this is where Charlotte lives. The real Kew Palace and Buckingham Palace are just over 9 miles apart and would be upwards of a 40-minute drive in a car today. Imagine how long that would take by carriage!
As for Blenheim Palace, the country house is the seat of the Duke of Marlborough and is especially famous today because Winston Churchill was born there. Unless a major Hollywood production has taken over, and even so in many cases, Blenheim Palace is a major tourist location. I’ve actually been! It’s lovely! Highly recommend it, and now you can imagine you’re Queen Charlotte whilst wandering the halls.
Leah Marilla Thomas is an entertainment writer, UNC alum, and former Hasbro Toy Tester (yes, that’s a real thing) who loves The Good Place and Love Island equally. In her alleged spare time, she’s probably either at the theater, in a park, or watching basketball.