Spencer, released in 2021, offers a creative insight into the marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. Taking place during their Christmas stay at Sandringham Estate, everything from the cinematography to the dialogue presents not a moment-to-moment account of actual events, but an exploration of Diana’s mental state leading up to her separation from her husband.
Image Credit: EF NEON/Pablo Larraín
Spencer: A film about Diana, Princess of Wales
What to know about Spencer (2021) starring Kristen Stewart.
Is Spencer based on a true story?
Yes, Spencer is inspired by the life of Princess Diana, though the film itself isn’t a completely factual account of her life. Less of a traditional biopic and more of a cinematic retelling of real-life events, several scenes in Spencer are fictionalized for the film that drew inspiration from real events and rumors.
Who was in the Spencer movie cast?
Spencer stars Kristen Stewart as Diana, Jack Farthing as Charles, Jack Nielen as William, Freddie Spry as Harry, Timothy Spall as Major Alistar Gregory, and Sally Hawkins as Maggie. It also features Stella Gonet as The Queen, Amy Manson as Anne Boleyn, and Richard Samuel as Prince Philip.
Where was Spencer filmed in Sandringham?
Sandringham Estate was not used as a Spencer film location. Sandringham Estate was actually portrayed by no less than three grand estates in Germany. No tea to spill here; Sandringham is not often used in productions about the royals, including The Crown, which used Suffolk’s Somerleyton Hall as a stand-in instead.
What house was used in Spencer?
Sandringham Estate in Spencer was created with a little movie magic and a long trip to Germany. Filming of the interiors and exteriors took place across Schloss Marquardt, Nordkirchen Castle, and Schlosshotel Kronberg.
Was Spencer filmed in Norfolk?
Yes, Spencer’s cast and crew did spend time in Norfolk during production. Hunstanton’s beach was used for a scene featuring Diana and Maggie while St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church in Shropham was used as a double for Sandringham’s St. Mary Magdalene Church.
Image Credit: EF NEON
Spencer filming locations
Spencer’s film locations are only slightly contained in the UK; the rest, including Sandringham’s stand-in, are a bit farther east.
Spencer filming locations in the UK
Visit these Spencer film locations in England that are just a short train ride from London.
Hunstanton Beach
Closest station: King’s Lynn
Hunstanton Beach sits adjacent to the Holmes Dunes National Nature Reserve. Kristen Stewart and Sally Hawkins met here for a scene as Diana and Maggie. You’ll need to take the bus from King’s Lynn to Hunstanton, but the scenic cliffs and dunes are well worth the seat swap.
St. Peter & St. Paul’s Church | Shropham, England
Closest station: Eccles Road
The British Royal family attended church services at St. Mary Magdalene Church in real life. Like other Sandringham locations, a stand-in was used for this church: St. Peter & St. Paul’s Church in Shropham, England.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Manfred Zajac. Image Location: Schloss Nordkirchen, Germany
Spencer filming locations in Germany
The real Sandringham may be in England, but Spencer’s version is in Deutschland
Schlosshotel Kronberg
Closest station: Kronberg
Originally called Friedrichshof Palace, Schlosshotel Kronberg is where some of the Sandringham interior scenes were shot for Spencer. It’s one of the many amazing German castles you can see on a quick train ride from Frankfurt.
Schloss Marquardt
Closest station: Potsdam, Marquardt Bhf
Schloss Marquardt performs the hattrick as a third filming location for Spencer’s Sandringham Estate. Unlike the others, you can easily take the train from Berlin to Potsdam to see Schloss Marquardt…but don’t expect to step inside. The site is permanently closed, save for its private rental use as a venue and shooting site for other productions.
Nordkirchen Castle
Closest station: Beifang
Nordkirchen Castle gets a lot of love in Spencer, having both its interior and exterior used as a replica of Sandringham Estate.
See more royal filming locations by train
Looking for more European filming locations from your favorite shows and movies? Trainline can take you there. Use the Trainline app to instantly purchase the cheapest tickets available for routes all around Europe.
See also our guides to several other filming locations, including:
- Visit filming locations for Netflix’s Queen Charlotte in England
- See your favorite Downton Abbey locations by train
- Filming locations for Mary & George and how to get around by train.
Header Image Credit: EF NEON/Pablo Larraín
