The Crown is bringing us some wonderful scenes of stately homes and other settings which stand in for Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Ten Downing Street, and many many more. After I binge watch for the story, I watch it all over again to see if I can recognize the settings.
When I saw this shot of Prince Philip and the Queen in an earlier season of The Crown, I immediately recognized that room. Most definitely Wilton House. Below, the Double Cube Room, this time from Season Four.
Below, also in Season Four, Diana dances in the palace, aka Wilton's Double Cube room.
The Double Cube Room is 30x30x60, reflecting its neoclassic roots, and is probably the work of architect Inigo Jones (1573-1652), though the room's decoration shows the baroque influences of later artists.
The great portrait by Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641) portrays Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke (1584-1650) with his Countess and his children, painted in 1634-35.
Below, the 'family piece' portrait is clearly visible in its entirety for this scene of the young princesses from Season One of The Queen.
Wilton House has played roles in many films. Below, a scene in the Double Cube Room with Director Autumn de Wilde and the cast of the 2020 version of Jane Austen's Emma.
Wilton House played the role of Mr. Knightley's estate, Donwell Abbey. Here is actor Johnny Flynn as Mr. Knightley striding across the lawn after crossing the Palladian Bridge with the house in the background.
Below, my 2018 photo of the Palladian Bridge, built 1736-37, over the River Nadder with the house at far right. Supposedly there are four such bridges in the world, three in Britain and one in Russia.
Back in the Double Cube Room, we see Emma and Harriet sitting on the custom-made sofa under the Van Dyke portrait.
In the 1995 version of Austen's Pride & Prejudice, a pianoforte was placed in front of the portrait and Mr. Darcy listened to his sister, Georgina, play.
Here is the brown-clad Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) in the center of the room, meeting Georgiana Darcy.
And as our last view of the Double Cube Room, here it stands in for the Palace of Versailles in an episode of The Outlander's Season Two. You can't miss that portrait in the background.
These are not the only films that give us views of Wilton House. And while we watch The Queen, we'll see many more interesting settings playing roles in the story. What's your favorite?
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