The royals are back at Belvoir

CASTLE FEATURES IN THE CROWN

BLOCKBUSTER Netflix drama The Crown is back for a third series, which means more exposure for a Leicestershire stately home.

Belvoir Castle stands in for Windsor and has featured in all three series of the show, charting the fortunes of the British royal family.

The new series, in which Olivia Coleman replaces Claire Foy as the Queen, will be released on Netflix in its entirety tomorrow.

The cast and crew have spent more than a month at the Regency castle, filming key scenes inside and out.

Previous series of The Crown featured several of Belvoir Castle’s most opulent rooms, including the Elizabeth Saloon and the Regent’s Gallery.

The Duchess of Rutland, said: “It was a great honour to have The Crown filming in our home for a third season. We are delighted to have some of the best costume-makers and directors using Belvoir and some of our favourite rooms, such as the Elizabeth Saloon, used as replicas for Windsor Castle scenes.

“We wish this series as with all the previous series huge success.”

Visitors to Belvoir Castle can step into the shoes of the cast and see why the castle is such a favourite with TV and film directors, with other credits including Young Victoria, starring Emily Blunt, the Da Vinci Code and Victoria and Abdul, starring Judi Dench.

The castle has been the home to the Duke of Rutland’s family since 1067.

The ancestral home is the fourth castle to stand on the site and was built in the early 1800s for the Fifth Duke and Duchess of Rutland.

ROYAL ROLE: Belvoir Castle again stands in for Windsor in the third series of The Crown, which now stars Olivia Coleman, left, as the Queen