The Lady filming locations: From ‘Grimsby’ to 'Greece', and if that’s really Buckingham Palace
From "stately homes" to thousands of miles abroad, this is where The Lady was filmed
The Lady premieres on ITV tonight, following the “rise and fall” of ex-royal dresser and murderer Jane Andrews. It may appear to be filmed in Buckingham Palace (among other places), but its filming locations are a bit different from what you’d expect.
The new series stars Mia McKenna-Bruce (Seven Dials, How to Have Sex) as Andrews. After landing her dream job as Sarah Ferguson’s dresser, she forms a close bond with Fergie.
However, as she becomes too familiar with the Duchess and a life of luxury, things go very wrong.
The Lady hops around from Andrews’ hometown to Buckingham Palace and even further afield – but nowhere is what it seems.
The Lady filming locations: Is that Buckingham Palace?
No, The Lady wasn’t actually filmed in Buckingham Palace.
Given the story, we spend quite a bit of time in Buckingham Palace in the opening episodes of the series. However, no matter how much it embodies the vibe and aesthetic of the building, no filming took place there.
According to ITV, “the show was filmed across three stately homes to present Buckingham Palace and other properties”.
We don’t have any specifics, so it’s unclear if – like The Crown – any scenes were filmed at Lancaster House or Burghley House.
There is one exception: there’s a brief scene of Andrews in a black cab on The Mall, which appears to have been filmed on location.
What about Sunninghill Park?
Jane Andrews worked for Fergie between 1988 and 1997. In 1990, Fergie moved into Sunninghill Park, a rebuilt royal estate constructed for Andrew.
In episode 2, we appear to see Andrews, her husband Charles (based on Christopher Dunn-Butler), and Fergie in Sunninghill Park. However, much like its version of Buckingham Palace, these scenes would have been filmed elsewhere.
Where else was The Lady filmed?
Jane Andrews lived in Grimsby before she was hired by Sarah Ferguson. However, The Lady never says where she’s from, beyond jokes about her coming down from the north.
All of the exterior scenes were filmed in Leigh-on-Sea, a coastal town 45 minutes outside of London. Scenes in the inside of her actual house, and other interiors, were filmed in Brixton.
A Leavesden Road sign can be seen on Andrews’ house, and, going by the brickwork, it would appear these scenes were shot in Watford.
Other scenes were filmed in Hampstead Heath in London.
Later in the series, scenes from Andrews’ trial were filmed on location at the Old Bailey, also known as the Central Criminal Court.
The Lady wasn’t actually filmed in Greece or France
In episode 2, Andrews goes on holiday to Greece with her boyfriend Luis Castillo (a character inspired by Dimitri Horne). However, none of these scenes were actually filmed in Greece.
Instead, the series moved its production to Majorca, which also doubles for the south of France later in the series.
As the closing credits explain, the series benefited from the Spanish Tax Rebate, in collaboration with the Spanish Government.
In terms that aren’t so dreadfully boring, it basically means the show cost less to make because it was filmed in Majorca, compared to Greece.
As Camaleón explains, “the deduction is claimed by the Spanish production company providing services; international producers benefit indirectly through reduced net production costs”.
This is common practice in TV and television. For example, Netflix’s How to Get to Heaven from Belfast had scenes set in Portugal, but they were actually filmed in Malta (which also has substantial tax incentives).
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