Heated Rivalry fans may still be at the cottage (and I understand why), but I’ve been curious about the other filming locations for the Crave Media series – and discovered a brilliant royal crossover. The opening few minutes of episode two play out to the entirety of Wet Leg’s “Mangetout,” with scenes of Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) that give viewers important insight into their growing relationship across the early years as they compete on the ice and remain in close contact through text messages.
As the years pass, Ilya spends his summer breaks back in Moscow, and we see him staying active by running around what is meant to be a Russian estate, but in reality is Dundurn Castle, whose patron is none other than Queen Camilla.
What is Dundurn Caastle?
The building is a 40-room Italianate-style villa that was built in 1835 costing $175,000, and was once home to Sir Allan Napier MacNab, the Premier of the United Canadas between 1854 and 1856, and the great, great, great-grandfather of the Queen.
The castle is on the outskirts of Hamilton on Burlington Heights, the former site of a fortified military encampment established by the British during the War of 1812, and is today a museum that traces the stories of the families who lived above stairs and downstairs. On the same site is The Hamilton Military Museum, which was originally built by Sir Allan as a gate house and was known as Battery Lodge.
© Getty ImagesCamilla’s connection
In 1832, Sir Allan and his second wife Mary welcomed their daughter Sophia, who at the age of 23 in 1855, married William Keppel, the seventh Earl of Albemarle, in the castle’s drawing room.
Soon after her marriage to William, the family moved to London, and Sophia welcomed 10 children including a son named George, who welcomed a daughter named Sonia, who gave birth to a daughter named Rosalind, who, with her husband Bruce, welcomed a daughter called Camilla.
Camilla and the then-Prince Charles visited the castle in 2009 as part of an 11-day tour of Canada during which they visited Hamilton and toured the opulent home with the museum’s then-curator, Ken Heaman. During their visit, they learned the fascinating story of Sir Allan’s daughter Sophia’s missing necklace, which was rumored to keep evil spirits away – and led to Camilla quipping: “It’s not with us.”
© Getty ImagesPictures showed Camilla and Charles standing on the balcony at the front of the castle, waving to onlookers, and viewers see Ilya running below that balcony in the opening seconds, as well as the length of the back of the castle, with the camera offering panoramic views of the stunning neoclassical columns.
While in Hamilton, the then Prince and Duchess also visited the HMCS Haida, a Tribal-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) participating in World War II and the Korean War.
Queen’s ‘envy’
In 2023, in the weeks before Charles’ coronation to the throne, Camilla wrote to a local Hamilton man who found local fame for sending letters and asking for autographs. Knowing Camilla’s connection to Hamilton, he wrote to Buckingham Palace om behalf of his granddaughter – and received a reply.
“Your grandfather wrote to me recently, to tell me about your visit to Dundurn Castle, which is a place that is very special to me. I do hope you enjoyed your time there and hearing about your grandfather’s childhood memories. I am quite envious of you and do hope to visit Dundurn again before too long …!” the official letter read, before being signed in Camilla’s handwriting: “With best wishes, Camilla R.”
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton has seen renewed interest thanks to the global success of Heated Rivalry, which tells the story of two rival hockey players who fall in love over the years but are forced to hide their sexuality due to systemic toxic cultures and geopolitical issues.
The Canadian production filmed in 2025 across Hamilton and Toronto, and Lianu Station – which is the backdrop for the pivotal black-tie gala attended by Scott Hutner and Kip Grady in episode three – was once visited by the late Elizabeth II, who arrived in the city via train at the former rail hub which is now an events space.
© Sabrina Lantos © 2025Several locations have now leaned into the Heated Rivalry effect, with local nightclub Mansion, which stands in for Montreal’s Ciel in the series, now hosting themed nights inspired by the show, and restaurant Le Tambour Tavern, located in the city’s arts andculture hub, James Street North, offering themed-cocktails including the Tall, Dark and Hollander, and Meet Me At The Cottage.
Relay Coffee Roasters, in the same neighborhood, and which stood in for the Straw+Berry smoothie shop, where Scott and Kip first met, has also embraced the show’s success, offering show-themed drinks like the “Extra banana latte,” and if you really want to make a day of it, Ciao Bella, the Italian restaurant where Shane meets his parents, is on the same road.
And don’t forget to visit The Pink Tunnel in Shamrock Park, which will forever be known as the graffiti-covered underpass that stood in for a snowy Moscow and where Connor nailed a four-page love confession all in in Russian.
Read the full article here
