Written by Shona Smith on Mar 16, 2020. Posted in Production News

Final series of The Spanish Princess wraps filming in Bristol

Filming for the final series of The Spanish Princess took place in Bristol on a full-scale interconnected Tudor-era Westminster Palace set. Closeby locations including Wells and Gloucester Cathedrals, and Berkely Castle were used during the sixth month shoot.

The eight episode long final series began filming in September 2019. A full-scale interconnected Tudor-era Westminster Palace occupied 30,000 square feet of Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios Export Warehouse and Tank House 1.

The series also filmed at historic locations in the South East such as Ashton Court Estate, Wells and Gloucester Cathedrals and Berkeley Castle. Executive Producer Charlie Hampton said “We have loved once again basing ourselves at The Bottle Yard Studios, which has offered us great facilities and a brilliant home for our Westminster Palace set, whilst also being perfectly located situated for the wealth of locations that the region has to offer”.

Fiona Francombe, Studio Director of The Bottle Yard says “We have space to create entire worlds here at the Studios, as well as being a short drive from some of the most impressive historic properties and cathedrals in the UK. This, combined with the bank of skilled local crew and supportive Film Office, makes us a strong contender for period drama”. Popular period dramas including Sandition and Poldark have previously used The Bottle Yard Studios as a base.

The Spanish Princess is the third instalment of Starz’ miniseries The White Queen and limited series The White Princess. The second series of The Spanish Princess is Starz’ limited series will conclude the story of Queen Catherine and Henry VIII, seeing them preside over the most glamorous court in Europe as the couple create a proud and England strong enough to withstand threat from abroad. However, as Catherine struggle’s to produce an heir her marriage and position at the court is placed at rise.

Charlotte Hope (Game of Thrones) and Ruari O’Connor (Delicious) reprised their lead roles as the ruling couple Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII. Returning cast for the second series included Stephaine Levi-John (Diversion) as Catherine’s confidante Lina de Cardonnes, Georgie Henley (The Chronicles of Narnia) as Margaret Tudor the Queen of Scotland, and Laura Carmichael (Downton Abbey) as Margaret Pole.
Francombe adds “It’s always a particularly good feeling to attract returning series back from one season to the next. The Spanish Princess sets are particularly breathtaking and it has been an honour to have them here once again for season two of this fantastic international drama”.

The series is produced by All2 Media’s New Pictures and Playground and is based on the global best-selling novels The Constant Princess and The King’s Curse by Philippa Gregory. Executive producing with Frost and Graham are Colin Callender (The White Queen, The Dresser, Wolf Hall) and Scott Huff (Howards End, The White Princess, The Missing) from Playground and Charlie Pattinson (The White Queen, Requiem, The Missing 1 & 2) and Charlie Hampton (Shameless, Wild at Heart, Inspector George Gently) from All3 Media’s New Pictures.

Image credit: Starz