The Diplomat Season 4 takes Kate Wyler’s political troubles across England, New York, and Italy. But here’s the interesting part: some of the show’s most convincing British locations are actually in the United States.
Windsor Castle, for example, isn’t one single filming location. The production combined historic English estates with grand New York mansions, a Gothic church, and other interiors to create the royal residence on screen.
So, where was The Diplomat Season 4 filmed? Here’s a closer look at the real locations behind the Netflix political thriller.
Then there’s the warship in Episode 2, which is a real training vessel, and the Italian villas that provide the backdrop for the season’s G7 Summit.
Where was The Diplomat Season 4 filmed?
The Diplomat Season 4 was filmed in London and other parts of England, New York State, and Tuscany, Italy. Production ran between November 2025 and June 2026. The Tuscany shoot covered Lucca and Florence, starting May 13 and running through June.
| Country | Key Locations | What They Played |
|---|---|---|
| England | Burghley House, Belvoir Castle, Lancaster House, Foreign Office, Luton Hoo | Windsor Castle, Hal’s office, government interiors |
| USA (New York) | Sleepy Hollow Country Club, Woolworth Estate, St. Josaphat’s Monastery, Church of the Intercession, SUNY Maritime College, Steiner Studios, Tribeca | Windsor Castle interiors, warship, Eidra’s apartment |
| Italy (Tuscany) | Lucca, Viesca Toscana, Dimora Ghirlandaio, Villa Reale di Marlia, Poggio a Caiano, Villa La Petraia | G7 Summit venues and accommodations |
Season 4 Production Timeline
Season 4 was renewed in May 2025, began production on November 3, 2025, wrapped on June 5, 2026, and premiered on October 15, 2026.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Renewal announced | May 2025 |
| Filming start | November 3, 2025 |
| Filming wrap | June 5, 2026 |
| Tuscany shoot | May 13 to June 2026 |
| Release date | October 15, 2026 |
| Episodes | 8 |
The “Windsor Castle” Puzzle: Nine Locations, Two Countries
Let’s start with the season’s boldest trick.
In the opening episodes, Kate, Hal, Grace and Todd are diverted to Windsor Castle after a protest grounds their flight. In reality, production used nine locations across New York State and the UK to build the royal residence.
US location manager Rob Coleman explained the challenge. The UK team handled the exteriors and some rooms, while his team hunted for New York interiors with the same architectural DNA.
The result? Viewers see one castle. It’s actually a transatlantic jigsaw.
Burghley House, Lincolnshire (Near Stamford)
This is the castle you see from the outside. The exteriors of Windsor Castle were filmed at Burghley House.
Burghley is one of England’s grandest Elizabethan homes. It was built in the 16th century by William Cecil, Queen Elizabeth I’s chief adviser. Its rooftop of spires and chimneys makes it instantly regal on camera.
Other popular productions filmed here:
| Production | Role of Burghley House |
|---|---|
| Pride & Prejudice (2005) | Rosings Park, Lady Catherine’s estate |
| The Da Vinci Code (2006) | Castel Gandolfo interiors |
Visiting tip: The house and gardens open to visitors seasonally. Check Burghley’s official site before travelling.
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Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire
Hal Wyler’s Windsor office is in the East Midlands. Hal’s office scenes were captured at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire.
Belvoir (pronounced “Beaver”) is the seat of the Dukes of Rutland. It sits on a hill above the Vale of Belvoir. Its Gothic Revival turrets have doubled for royal homes many times.
Other popular productions filmed here:
| Production | Role of Belvoir Castle |
|---|---|
| The Young Victoria (2009) | Stood in for Windsor Castle |
| The Da Vinci Code (2006) | Interior scenes |
Fun fact: Belvoir playing Windsor isn’t new. Hollywood has used this trick before.
Lancaster House, London
Additional interiors were filmed at Lancaster House and the British Foreign Office.
Lancaster House sits next to St James’s Palace. The UK government uses it for summits and diplomatic receptions. Its gilded staircase is one of London’s most filmed interiors.
Other popular productions filmed here:
| Production | Role of Lancaster House |
|---|---|
| The Crown | Buckingham Palace interiors |
| The Young Victoria (2009) | Palace interiors |
The Foreign Office, Westminster
The Diplomat has a rare relationship with the real Foreign Office.
In earlier seasons, the show filmed interiors and exteriors of the actual Foreign Office. Supervising location manager E.J. Richards described it as part of the Westminster controlled environment. The team had to choose camera angles carefully to avoid looking into the real foreign minister’s office.
Season 4 returns here for more Windsor interiors. That’s a big perk. Few dramas get access to a working government building.
Luton Hoo, Bedfordshire
Location guides list Luton Hoo, Belvoir Castle and Heathwall Quay among the English settings seen in Season 4.
Luton Hoo is a Grade I-listed mansion, now a luxury hotel. Its formal gardens and grand rooms are a filmmaker favourite.
Other popular productions filmed here:
| Production | Role of Luton Hoo |
|---|---|
| Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) | Wedding venue scenes |
| Eyes Wide Shut (1999) | Mansion interiors |
Heathwall Quay, London
This Thames-side spot is one of the season’s quieter locations. Location trackers confirm a Season 4 scene was filmed there. Netflix hasn’t detailed which scene it is. It’s a gritty contrast to the show’s palaces.
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Sleepy Hollow Country Club, Scarborough-on-Hudson, New York
Here’s where things get surprising. Grace Penn’s “Windsor” office is in New York.
The crew filmed President Grace Penn’s office scenes, as well as the ladies’ restroom, at Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough-on-Hudson.
The clubhouse is a Gilded Age mansion built for a Vanderbilt family heir. Its stately rooms pass easily for British royal interiors.
Woolworth Estate (Winfield Hall), Glen Cove, New York
The production used Woolworth Estate in Glen Cove for the Equerries Room that the staff uses in Episode 2.
The mansion was built for retail tycoon F.W. Woolworth. It’s one of Long Island’s legendary “Gold Coast” estates. Its marble interiors are famously lavish.
St. Josaphat’s Monastery, Glen Cove, New York
Also on Long Island, this monastery became Windsor’s Royal Library. Its wood-panelled rooms easily pass for an English royal collection.
Church of the Intercession, Manhattan
Remember the panic room scene after the shooting? It wasn’t in England.
The panic room where Kate and Hal are sequestered after the shooting was filmed in the Church of the Intercession in New York City.
This Gothic Revival church stands in upper Manhattan. Its stone vaults and heavy doors sell the “secure royal bunker” feel perfectly.
St. George’s Chapel Scenes
Netflix’s location guide names the Cathedral of the Incarnation in connection with the St. George’s Chapel at Windsor scenes. The Cathedral of the Incarnation is a Gothic Revival cathedral in Garden City, Long Island. It’s a smart match for Windsor’s royal chapel.
SUNY Maritime College and Empire State VII, The Bronx
Episode 2’s warship scenes are real. Mostly.
Executive producer Janice Williams says the team filmed on an actual ship for the inner corridors, surgery, refectory and the exterior where Todd Penn is seen. Those scenes were shot aboard the Empire State VII, a US Maritime Administration training ship docked at SUNY Maritime College in New York.
The find came late. The team was about to build interiors on a set until, at the eleventh hour, they cleared a Bronx maritime college that had just received its new teaching vessel.
That’s why the medical bay feels so authentic. It’s a real one.
Steiner Studios, Brooklyn
The aircraft carrier’s big exterior shots needed VFX help. They were created using footage shot in the Steiner Studios parking lot in Brooklyn with a live helicopter, plus helicopter footage filmed over water.
Other popular productions filmed at Steiner Studios:
| Production | Type |
|---|---|
| Boardwalk Empire | HBO series |
| The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Prime Video series |
| Sex and the City (2008) | Feature film |
Tribeca, Manhattan (Eidra’s Apartment)
CIA station chief Eidra Park gets a fresh home this season. Her official residence is an apartment in Tribeca, New York City.
The design was intentional. Williams describes it as modern and slick, with a large glass-wrapped inner courtyard and a central industrial-style staircase. She says it reflects Eidra’s efficiency.
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Lucca, Tuscany
Now for the season’s postcard moments.
In the final two episodes, Kate, Hal, Grace, Todd, Eidra, Stuart and Billie attend a G7 Summit in Italy. Exterior shots with Stuart, Eidra and Billie were filmed in Lucca.
Lucca is a walled medieval city near Pisa. Its Renaissance ramparts still surround the old town. Crews were expected at Piazza Napoleone, Porta San Pietro, Piazza San Frediano, Piazza Anfiteatro, Piazza Guidiccioni and Via Sant’Andrea.
The shoot was a big deal locally. The Municipality of Lucca approved an agreement with the production to regulate permits and public space use. The Toscana Film Commission supported the shoot.
Must-see spot: Piazza dell’Anfiteatro. This oval square was built on the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre. It’s one of Italy’s most unique plazas.
Villa Reale di Marlia, Near Lucca
The G7 delegations needed grand rooms. Villa Reale di Marlia was used for various delegation rooms.
This historic villa once belonged to Napoleon’s sister, Elisa Bonaparte. Its gardens are among Tuscany’s most celebrated. They’re open to visitors.
Viesca Toscana Estate (Villa Viesca and Villa Gelso)
Remember Grace taking Kate to pick basil? That was here.
Production filmed the accommodation scenes here, including the greenhouse moment and some walk-and-talks between the president and vice president. The estate is the former summer home of Salvatore and Wanda Ferragamo in the Florentine countryside.
Yes, that Ferragamo. The fashion family’s estate is now a luxury rental.
Dimora Ghirlandaio, Near Florence
Other exteriors, including Stuart and Billie’s tense poolside conversation, were shot at the Dimora Ghirlandaio estate close to Florence.
It’s a quieter estate. But it delivers one of the season’s sharpest scenes.
Villa Medicea di Poggio a Caiano
Poggio a Caiano, a Medici villa, was used for some exterior shots and the entire orchestra night sequence.
This villa was commissioned by Lorenzo de’ Medici, “Il Magnifico.” It’s part of the UNESCO-listed Medici Villas and Gardens.
Villa Medicea La Petraia
The summit’s heart was filmed here. Villa Medicea La Petraia provided the main G7 Octagon Room.
La Petraia sits on a hillside near Florence. It’s also part of the UNESCO Medici Villas group.
Williams explained the challenge. The team needed multiple locations that could be filmed over several weeks. Together, they had to cover every scripted G7 function, from accommodations and meeting rooms to arrivals, pull-asides, the concert night and the main conference.
Florence, Italy
Florence’s exact on-screen spots are still somewhat private. During filming, specific Florence locations were kept under wraps. The crew reportedly used Teatro Luxury Apartments – Starhotels Collezione as a base.
Other popular productions filmed in Florence:
| Production | Year |
|---|---|
| A Room with a View | 1985 |
| Hannibal | 2001 |
| Inferno | 2016 |
The Diplomat Season 4 Cast
Keri Russell returns as Kate Wyler, with Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler. David Gyasi, Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear and Ato Essandoh are back too. Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford and Nana Mensah were all promoted to series regulars this season.
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Keri Russell | Kate Wyler, US Ambassador to the UK |
| Rufus Sewell | Hal Wyler, Vice President |
| Allison Janney | President Grace Penn |
| Bradley Whitford | First Gentleman Todd Penn |
| Nana Mensah | Billie Appiah, White House Chief of Staff |
| Ato Essandoh | Stuart Hayford |
| Ali Ahn | Eidra Park |
| David Gyasi | Austin Dennison |
| Rory Kinnear | Nicol Trowbridge |
| Jodie Whittaker | Bethan Vaughn (new) |
Guest stars: Celia Imrie, Miguel Sandoval, Rosaline Elbay and Aidan Turner round out the guest roles.
Jodie Whittaker’s Surprise Role (Mild Spoiler)
Netflix kept this one quiet. Whittaker was only credited in the guest billing and appeared for a fleeting moment near the end of the trailer. She plays Bethan Vaughn, who becomes Britain’s new Prime Minister. Critics noticed. Reviewers praised her icy yet personable confidence as a new adversary for Kate.
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Behind the Scenes
| Topic | What We Know |
|---|---|
| Season 4’s big theme | Creator Debora Cahn says the show has become much more about where each character draws their moral red line. |
| A fearless creative mood | At an Emmy FYC panel in May 2026, Cahn said the team knew what they had and decided to go all-out with Season 4. |
| More of the Penns | Cahn said the play-like Season 3 “Amagansett” episode gave her the confidence to explore the Penn-Wyler quartet further. |
| The finale’s look | Janice Williams says they wanted Kate to appear as one small figure crossing massive, dark, grand spaces before stepping into the light. |
| Premiere night | Netflix hosted a special Season 4 screening at The Paris Theater in New York on October 12, 2026. |
Where to watch The Diplomat Season 4?
The Diplomat is a Netflix original. You can stream it only on Netflix. All eight Season 4 episodes dropped at once.
| Season | Netflix Release Date |
|---|---|
| Season 4 | October 15, 2026 |
| Season 3 | October 16, 2025 |
| Season 2 | October 31, 2024 |
| Season 1 | April 20, 2023 |
The Diplomat Season 4 Reviews
Critics love it. Season 4 is the show’s best-reviewed season so far.
Rotten Tomatoes shows a 100% Tomatometer from 15 reviews, with an 88% Popcornmeter from 100+ ratings. It also holds a Metacritic score of 92.
| Season | Tomatometer (Critics) |
|---|---|
| Season 1 | 84% |
| Season 2 | 95% |
| Season 3 | 97% |
| Season 4 | 100% |
Each season has scored higher with critics than the last.
What critics praise:
| Outlet | Verdict (Paraphrased) |
|---|---|
| The Guardian | Five stars, calling it the most entertaining show on TV |
| Decider | The series keeps getting smarter and sharper as the story goes global |
| Collider | The show raised the bar with its complex characters and addictive plot |
| ScreenRant | Praised its poetic parallels and singled out Bradley Whitford’s Todd Penn |
Not every review is a rave. One critic argued that the lack of the usual marriage drama made the show feel too close to a polite simulation of Washington, grading it a C.
Stephen King weighed in too. On October 17, he posted on X declaring Season 4 the best one so far.
Will there be a Season 5 of The Diplomat?
Not yet confirmed. As of now, Netflix has neither renewed nor cancelled the show, nor billed Season 4 as the ending. Given the reviews, fans are hopeful.
FAQs
Where was The Diplomat Season 4 filmed?
It was filmed in England (London, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Bedfordshire), New York State, and Tuscany, Italy.
Was Windsor Castle actually used in The Diplomat?
No. The exteriors were filmed at Burghley House. Interiors came from Belvoir Castle, Lancaster House, the Foreign Office and several New York locations.
Where was the G7 Summit filmed in The Diplomat Season 4?
Across Tuscany. Key spots include Lucca, Villa Reale di Marlia, Poggio a Caiano and Villa La Petraia, which hosted the main Octagon Room.
Was the warship in Episode 2 real?
Partly. Interiors were shot aboard the Empire State VII at SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx. The carrier exteriors were created with VFX.
Can you visit The Diplomat Season 4 filming locations?
Many, yes. Burghley House, Belvoir Castle, Villa Reale di Marlia and the Medici villas welcome visitors. Lucca’s piazzas are free to explore. Check opening times before you go.
How many episodes are in The Diplomat Season 4?
Eight episodes, all released on October 15, 2026.
Sources
- Netflix Tudum: Where Did They Film The Diplomat Season 4?
- The Florentine: The Diplomat filming in Tuscany
- Florence Daily News: Season 4 filmed in Tuscany
- 4filming: Season 4 filming locations
- What’s on Netflix: Season 5 renewal status
- What’s on Netflix: Jodie Whittaker’s role
- HollywoodLife: Season 4 cast
- Rotten Tomatoes: The Diplomat Season 4
- Gold Derby: Season 4 reviews
- CBR: Stephen King on Season 4
- The Diplomat Season 4 Filming Locations: Every Castle, Villa and City Behind Netflix’s Nuclear Thriller - October 20, 2026
- Where was Love of Your Life (2026) filmed? All Real Locations Explored - October 16, 2026
- Where was Animals (2026) filmed? Real Locations Behind the Netflix Thriller - October 15, 2026
