On 22 January 1999, the George Lucas Stages at Elstree Studios were formally opened by Prince Charles, marking one of the most significant moments in the studio’s modern revival.
The two sound stages — jointly named in honour of George Lucas — formed part of a £10 million investment to rejuvenate the studios, following their rescue by Hertsmere Borough Council in 1996. Around £5 million of that funding went directly into the construction of the stages themselves, helping to secure Elstree’s future as a working film studio at the end of the 20th century.
When they were built, the George Lucas Stages were the highest sound stages in Europe. To control noise breakthrough, the structure was designed with an exceptionally heavy roof loading, made up of multiple layers of acoustic materials. The roof was also engineered to carry very high imposed loads from the wide range of productions using the facility — including, on one occasion, a tracking video wall weighing 70 tonnes, which had to be capable of being supported at any position across the roof structure.
This wasn’t Charles’ first visit to Elstree. In 1974, he visited the studios alongside Lord Mountbatten to see the sets of Murder on the Orient Express — a reminder of just how long Elstree has been intertwined with British cultural and national life.
The 1999 opening was made possible through the efforts of many people, but special credit is due to the late Paul Welsh MBE, who was responsible for extending the invitation to the Palace that led to the royal opening, and to Neville Reed, who was Managing Director of the studio at the time and instrumental in steering Elstree through this crucial period.
Since their opening, the George Lucas Stages have hosted a remarkable range of major film and television productions. Feature films made on the stages include The King’s Speech — an appropriately royal connection — alongside Paddington and Edgar Wright’s The World’s End. On television, the stages have hosted large-scale drama such as The Crown, as well as serving as the home of the live broadcasts of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One each year.
Royal visits to Elstree stretch back to the earliest decades of the studios in the 1920s, and the tradition continues today. The most recent visit was by Prince Edward, who came to the studios to help launch the official centenary celebrations — a fitting reminder of Elstree’s enduring national significance as it enters its second century.
(Some images sourced from DFP)