HBO's glossy new dystopian series The Regime follows dictatorial leader Elena Vernham, who rules over an unnamed fictional country in Middle Europe.
Kate Winslet leads the cast as Elena, alongside Matthias Schoenaerts as recently disgraced soldier Herbert Zubak, who soon becomes her most trusted advisor.
But it's not just Kate's starring performance in this gripping drama that will transfix viewers as the show was filmed inside some stunning royal palaces. Keep reading to find out more…
The Regime's stunning filming locations
The show was filmed at various locations in Vienna, including Schönbrunn Palace, which doubles as the home of Kate's character Chancellor Elena Vernham.
The palace, which is one of Austria's most important cultural assets, was commissioned by Emperor Leopold I at the end of the 17th century as an imperial hunting lodge. It later became a summer residence for Maria Theresa and Franz Stephan, who were the Austrian Empire's joint rulers.
After Maria's death in 1780, the palace was not used again until the reign of Emperor Franz II in the early 19th century.
While the palace provided the backdrop for exterior shots of Chancellor Vernham's home, various rooms in the Liechtenstein City Palace and the Pallavicini in Vienna were used for interiors. Original sets were also built on location in Austria.
In a recent interview, creator and showrunner Will Tracy revealed that he chose Vienna as the show's filming location as "it had the look and feel of how I imagined this country might look and feel", and has not been "over-filmed".
The showrunner also explained how Schönbrunn aligned with his vision for Chancellor Vernham's residence.
"I said, what I have in my mind is a palace that looks kind of like this, where it's sort of on the outskirts of a major capital city, but doesn't necessarily feel like it's right in the heart of the city," he told Decider. "And it feels sort of grand and a bit baroque and it looks as though it’s been sort of added on to over the years."
For those who don't know, the series "tells the story of life within the walls of a modern authoritarian regime as it unravels".
The synopsis continues: "After not leaving the palace for quite some time, Chancellor Elena Vernham (Kate Winslet) becomes increasingly paranoid and unstable and turns to a volatile soldier, Herbert Zubak (Matthias Schoenaerts), as an unlikely confidant. As Zubak’s influence over the chancellor grows, Elena’s attempts to expand her power eventually result in the palace and the country fracturing around her."
The Regime airs on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK on 8th April. The show is available to stream on Max in the US.