Track the 2021 Cinderella filming locations in detail including Waddesdon Manor, the Blackpool Tower, Wrotham Park, Blenheim Palace, Dorney Court, Ockwell's Manor and Waltham St Lawrence. Further scenes were shot at Pinewood, but the Amazon Prime Video Cinderella movie locations show off some truly palatial spaces that really exist.
Written and directed by the Pitch Perfect franchise’s Kay Cannon, the Columbia Pictures musical was released by Amazon Studios on 3rd September 2021. The film sets the fairy tale to a pop soundtrack as Cinderella follows her dream of selling the ballgowns she designs in the cellar.
Cinderella (Camila Cabello) wants to show off her original dress design at the palace Changing of the Guards ceremony. King Rowan (Pierce Brosnan) and Queen Beatrice (Minnie Driver) might not agree it’s the time or the place. But Prince Robert (Nicholas Galitzine) wants to meet the girl who’s bold enough to stand out from the crowd.
Her stepmother Vivian (Idina Menzel) and stepsisters Malvolia (Maddie Baillio) and Narissa (Charlotte Spencer) are hard work, as expected.
Fortunately, the butterfly-esque Fab G (Billy Porter) is on hand to help Cinderella get to the ball. With a little help from mouse footmen James (James Corden), Romesh (Romesh Ranganathan) and John (James Acaster), of course.
Where Was Cinderella Filmed?
Cinderella at Waddesdon Manor. Copyright Amazon Prime
Cinderella was filmed at Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, Wrotham Park in Hertfordshire, the Blackpool Tower and Pinewood Studios. The star of the show is Waddesdon, which is used as the palace facade along with the grounds and several rooms.
“Never before has Waddesdon played such a central role in a production of this scale, nor had the chance to shine as an instantly recognisable building in its own right. It’s been wonderful to see such a unique place bring its own magic and charm to this classic tale, and as Waddesdon is open to the public we look forward to welcoming visitors to come and see ‘Cinderella’s palace’ for themselves.”
Kim Hallett, Filming Consultant at Waddesdon
At Pinewood,the 2021 Cinderella movie was filmed on F Stage and C Stage. F Stage has been used for The Iron Lady, The Woman in Black and Skyfall among others. It’s even hosted a past production of the same story.
While Pierce Brosnan’s scenes were mostly shot on location, there’s a glaring Bond connection here. The Bond movies have famously used Pinewood for decades, spanning the 007 Stage and many others.
And there’s a princess connection here too - Disney’s Cinderella was filmed on F Stage, among others at Pinewood.
Disney’s Cinderella was also made nearby, in another National Trust property. Many scenes, including the ballroom scene, were filmed on a studio set but Cliveden House is the basis for the prince’s palace. The mansion on the Buckinghamshire/Berkshire border is given a CGI makeover for the movie.
In contrast, the Amazon Prime Cinderella movie filmed most of its key scenes on location in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and Blackpool.
1. The Palace
Waddesdon Manor. DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0
The main filming location for Cinderella’s palace is Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire. And if you need a fairytale palace it’s not a bad choice at all, perched on the top of a hill with spindly turrets rising up to beyond the trees.
Waddesdon Manor has made cameo appearances in The Crown, Downton Abbey and more.
It was the filming location for the Château de Fontainebleau in A Little Chaos. And more recently, the interiors doubled as a Monte Carlo hotel for the 2020 Rebecca adaptation starring Lily James.
Waddesdon’s architecture was heavily inspired by the chateaux of the Loire Valley. So when McMafia needed a Versailles filming location, they shot exterior scenes at the Rothschilds’ residence.
You can see the manor for a few moments in Downton Abbey too, as the exterior of Haxby Hall.
Some of the Rothschild mansion’s features aren’t highlighted onscreen, but look closely for the details. There are fairytale castle touches everywhere you look.
The good news is that you can visit the Cinderella palace location easily. It’s a National Trust property with the manor house opening between spring and autumn and grounds open year-round.
2. The Countryside
In the Amazon Prime Video movie, the countryside where Cinderella returns from the market is part of the Waddesdon grounds.
This filming location is one of the meadows on the hillside leading up to the manor.
3. The Palace Balcony
Waddesdon Manor. Daderot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In the 2021 Cinderella film the Changing of the Guards scene was filmed at Waddesdon’s portico balcony. The royal family appear at the portico balcony several times throughout the movie.
In real life the balcony is situated above the main entrance. This is where house tours begin, so if you visit you can get close to the exact spot. It’s also easily visible from the gravel path, which remains open to grounds visitors throughout the year.
As you can see in several shots, carved details decorate the manor’s facade. Here’s something else to look out for...
The manor’s spiral staircases are famously ornate - Camila Cabello posed by one of them in 2020, hinting at the beautiful Cinderella palace filming location.
Spirals trace their way up the outside of the building, mirroring the twisting staircase inside the turret. If you’re quick you might spot them in the movie’s Changing of the Guards scene.
4. The Study
The room where Prince Robert, Griff (Luke Latchman), Count Wilbur (Jenet de Lacheur) and Hench (Fra Fee) learn geography is Wrotham Park’s Music Room. Or at least, where they look briefly at the map and decide they don’t need to know about it.
We think the connecting rooms also belong to Wrotham Park.
Does the study look familiar? If you’re a fan of The Crown, you probably know this location better as the Queen’s audience room at Buckingham Palace.
Other parts of Wrotham Park featured in The Riot Club, as Harry Villiers’ home. It appears in the scene where the boys pass a tour group to access the closed rooms.
5. The Music Room
The palace room where the prince plays piano and duets with Cinderella is Waddesdon Manor’s dining room. Its usual dining table is gone, and in its place we see the piano in the centre of the room. But look closely at the other details.
You might recognise the distinctive chandeliers and clock on the mantelpiece. But this 2021 Cinderella location also shows off décor you don’t always see. The production team have left the mirrors at the end of the room, which are often covered because of the logistical problems involved.
Waddesdon’s dining room was used in Never Day Never Again in 1983. And more recently, the same room featured in Moriarty’s book signing scene in Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows.
6. The Entrance Hall
Blenheim Palace Entrance Hall. Glen Bowman, CC BY 2.0
The palace’s hall location is actually Blenheim Palace’s own Great Hall. It’s part of the State Rooms, which you can visit as part of a ticketed self-guided audio tour. You can also explore the smart upstairs suites, servants’ downstairs rooms and the palace gardens and grounds.
Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. In design terms, it’s celebrated for its Baroque stylings with the Great Hall being notable for its scale.
As you can see in shots of the king and guards in the hall, the height of the palace hall looks unlikely. There’s no camera trickery here – it truly is an impressive space.
Look out for the bold coat of arms above the doorway behind Prince Robert and King Rowan. Again, despite its boldness this is a regular feature you can see if you visit this Cinderella filming location. It adorns the Saloon, a formal dining room at the palace.
7. The Prince’s Dressing Room
We think Prince Robert’s dressing room filming location is also part of the Blenheim Palace State Rooms. Look out for the tapestries over white and gold walls in the sequence, as seen in Blenheim’s Palace Hallways.
The prince walks through several of the connecting state rooms in order, ending up at the next location...
8. The Library
Princess Gwen’s (Tallulah Grieve) library is the Long Library at Blenheim Palace. It really does interconnect with the State Rooms, and it’s one impressive space. At 56 metres in length, Blenheim Palace’s library is the second-longest room in any English residence.
Though in the 2021 Cinderella movie this palace library filming location highlights the cosiest corner. The prince finds Gwen at one end of the library, where a filigree mezzanine level reduces the towering height somewhat. At the centre, you would usually find a statue of Queen Anne.
9. The Ballroom
Blackpool Tower Ballroom. Michael D Beckwith, CC BY 2.0
The 2021 Cinderella ballroom location is Blackpool Tower’s ballroom, famous as the home of ballroom dancing. In the movie, guests arrive from Waddesdon Manor’s avenue, which leads directly to the main entrance. Then we’re transported north...
Lancs Live shared pictures of Cinderella’s ballroom scene shoot back in March 2020, revealing sneak peeks of the fantastical costumes. The cast and crew set up shop around the promenade, complete with tents.
Just before the film’s Amazon Prime Video release, writer and director Kay Cannon also revealed a behind the scenes shot of Cinderella’s ballroom scene.
And of course, fans of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing might have spotted this one right away. But we don’t usually get to appreciate this location from so many angles.
Built in 1894, the Blackpool Tower Ballroom is as ornately decorated as it appears in the Columbia Pictures Cinderella movie.
We get to appreciate the view from the upper balcony in the scene where Cinderella meets a visiting queen.
And with a musical number taking place on the dancefloor, we get a good look around from ground level too. It’s cleverly dressed for the palace setting, but you might notice that the windows are actually affixed to the back of the stage.
10. The Aviary
Waddesdon Manor Aviary. DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0
King Rowan argues with Queen Beatrice, in her fencing attire, at the Aviary at Waddesdon Manor. The Aviary was designed for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in the style of pavilions in the gardens of Versailles.
Though it’s not onscreen for long, the film picks up on this unusual feature which doesn’t often make it to the screen. In fact, the collection has been a feature for visitors since the 1890s and is home to many rare and endangered species.
11. King Rowan’s Balcony Serenade
We think the scene where King Rowan serenades the Queen was filmed at Waddesdon Manor’s parterre.
This Cinderella palace filming location can be found at the back of the manor, running outside the dining room and drawing rooms.
Queen Beatrice appears to be looking out from the central drawing room. The room’s height is raised above the terrace, creating the balcony effect onscreen.
We’ve already seen the parterre for a moment, earlier in the film. It appears briefly during the ‘Am I Wrong’ sequence - the prince and his friends are sitting on the same terrace.
11. The Throne Room
Claydon House. mym / Middle Claydon House
The palace throne room filming location is Claydon House, a short drive from Waddesdon Manor.
Queen Beatrice and King Rowan’s thrones and the red canopy were added for the movie, but the room is still richly decorated in real life.
Sumptuous decor came at a price at this stately home. You might have noticed the ornate plasterwork that can be seen reaching from picture rail height to the ceiling. In fact, Claydon’s plasterwork is so detailed that the sheer weight of it caused the library ceiling to bow.
Claydon is a Cinderella location you can visit - it’s a National Trust property that opens to visitors on select dates and times.
12. Cinderella’s Cottage
Shots of Cinderella’s house were filmed at Dorney Court, Waltham St Lawrence and Ockwell’s Manor.
Creative England’s Filming in England confirmed the three Berkshire locations at the time of the movie’s release.
13. Cinderella’s Cottage Exterior
Outdoor shots of Cinderella’s house and garden were filmed on The Street, Waltham St Lawrence.
This Grade II-listed cottage is full of Tudor details, which we just see a glimpse of onscreen - in fact, much of the village has a long history. The neighbouring church dating back to the era of the Domesday book.
With so many quintessential historic buildings, it’s not surprise this Berkshire village has appeared onscreen before. Some classic TV fans might know Waltham St Lawrence as Pie in the Sky’s Middleton filming location.
And just on the edge of the village, White Waltham Airfield appeared in the Midsomer Murders episode The Flying Club. So the Pitch Perfect writer’s Cinderella is a slight change of pace - no murders, plenty of musical numbers.
14. Cinderella’s Staircase
Ockwells Manor. Michael FORD / Ockwells Manor House, Cox Green
The filming location for Ella’s cottage staircase and hallway is Ockwell’s Manor. The dark wood Jacobean staircase and panelling hint at the house’s long history - in fact, it dates back to the 15th Century. And it’s got interesting stories to tell.
Ockwell’s Manor can claim connections to Eleanor of Provence, and later, Henry VIII, remaining in the hands of the Norreys family for centuries. Court life didn’t always run in their favour though. When Anne Boleyn was charged with adultery, the unfortunate Sir Henry Norreys was drawn into the accusations.
15. Cinderella’s Front Door
Cinderella’s front door and entrance hall location is also part of Ockwell’s Manor, situated near the staircase. It’s another of the Cinderella filming locations where adjoining rooms are used.
Like the prince’s palace scenes filmed at Blenheim and Waddesdon, the characters really are walking through a series of rooms. It’s unusual to see onscreen, let alone in several different sequences.
16. Cinderella’s Dining Room
Dorney Court. Kevin White / Dorney Court
The dining room of Cinderella’s cottage is really Dorney Court’s dining room. We first see it when Cinderella serves her stepmother and stepsisters during the ‘Rhythm Nation/You Gotta Be’ sequence.
Ella is forced to stay in the servants’ quarters while they eat in the grander rooms, but the joke’s on Vivian here. According to the Palmer family of Dorney Court, the dining room has earned a reputation for being chilly.
You can recognise the dining room in the Amazon movie by its wall colour and panelling, and the distinctive black fireplace surround.
That said, the all-female household spares the ladies from another of the house’s surprises. Dorney Court is said to be haunted by a ghost that only appears to men - so Vivian, Malvolia, Narissa and Ella are safe enough.