Love The Crown on Netflix? 5 British palaces, castles and estates you can visit – and 5 royal-approved nearby hotels worthy of Queen Elizabeth
As season 3 of The Crown debuts on Netflix, here are five real-life royal residences any fan can visit – from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle – and five nearby hotels fit for Meghan Markle or Kate Middleton
The new Netflix series of The Crown has got us thinking about living the high life in royal palaces and crumbly castles. So, we asked Lightfoot Travel to shed some light on the UK’s most revered royal residences, and places to stay nearby (if you can’t sneak inside).
Buckingham Palace, London
The most well-known of royal residences, Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of the British sovereign since 1837. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to settle in the 775-room palace, in the heart of the capital, where the 40-acre garden sets the scene for summer garden parties. The palace wasn’t used for filming in The Crown; instead the queen's residence was recreated with several stately homes across the country.
Fit for royalty: The Goring hotel in London’s Belgravia is decadent, elegant and highly personalised, but at the same time super homely. Steeped in history, 1920s chandeliers, ornate fireplaces and art deco lamps feature throughout, and one suite uses the same green silk wall covering that graced the first-class dining room of the Titanic. A Michelin-starred restaurant, indoor and outdoor bar and cute garden (a rare find in the city centre) add to the charm. Psst! This is also where the Duchess of Cambridge spent the night before her wedding.
Balmoral Castle, Scotland
The Scottish home in royal Deeside is where HRH and the rest of the fam take residence and slip into their comfy leisurewear (probably) every summer. Surrounded by more than 20,000 hectares of forests, lochs and glens, it’s the ideal spot for them to enjoy country pursuits, and perhaps the best place ever for a game of hide-and-seek. When the family aren't in residence, mere mortals can rent one of the six holiday cottages on the royal grounds.
Fit for royalty: Located in the Scottish Highlands, The Fife Arms is a traditional Victorian coaching house-turned-luxury boutique hotel. An interior design lover’s haven, every nook and cranny is jaw-dropping. All the bedrooms are themed – from “Scottish culture” to “nature and poetry” – and come with glimpses of the surrounding mountains. Elsewhere, sumptuous fabrics, antiques, oriental rugs and objets d'art make it a fascinating place to unwind in style. Do have a drink at Elsa's Bar which is tiny, pink and oozing fabulousness.
Windsor Castle, Berkshire
