The final sound stage at Sky Studios Elstree has been opened by the Duke of Edinburgh.
Last Thursday’s official opening was one of his last engagements as the Earl of Wessex before receiving the title, previously held by his father Prince Phillip, on his 59th birthday.
To mark this special event, His Royal Highness toured the site, meeting local charity partners and young talent. In the early 1990s, the Duke ran his own production company, Ardent Productions, and he remains patron of the Production Guild of Great Britain.
His Royal Highness also unveiled a plaque on Stage 5 to commemorate the significant moment for the UK’s film and TV sector as it marks the largest brand-new studio facility to open in the UK for decades.
“Sky Studios Elstree will create thousands of jobs and will boost the UK’s creative industry at a time when it is needed most. It will become the new creative home for bold and unmissable Sky Original series as well as Hollywood blockbusters from NBCUniversal. The opening of this final stage signals the near completion of the site, and we’re delighted to have His Royal Highness join us,” said Cécile Frot-Coutaz Sky Studios Chief Executive Officer.
This event signals the near completion of Sky Studios Elstree which will house 13 sound stages and will generate an additional £3 billion of production investment in the UK creative sector in the first five years alone.
The studio also has some of the most ambitious sustainability goals in the world, aligning to Sky’s overall ambition to be net zero carbon by 2030.