Editing Blenheim Palace (section)

=== The palace today ===
[[File:Lower formal gardens, Blenheim Palace - geograph.org.uk - 1433093.jpg|thumb|The "Bernini Fountain", a scaled copy of the fountain in Rome's [[Piazza Navona]] given to the 1st Duke, was placed on the second terrace by Duchêne.]]
[[File:Blenheim Palace, Italian Garden. - geograph.org.uk - 138121.jpg|thumb|The Italian Garden on the east side of the Palace 1908–10 by Duchêne fountain added in 1910 by American sculptor Waldo Story]]
The palace remains the home of the Dukes of Marlborough, the present incumbent of the title being [[James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough|Charles James (Jamie) Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough]]. Charles James succeeded to the Dukedom upon his [[John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough|father 11th Duke of Marlborough]]'s death on 16 October 2014.<ref>{{cite news|author=Raynor, G. |work= [[The Daily Telegraph]] |title=Former drug addict and ex-convict Jamie Blandford becomes 12th Duke of Marlborough after father dies |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/11168207/Former-drug-addict-and-ex-convict-Jamie-Blandford-becomes-12th-Duke-of-Marlborough-after-father-dies.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/11168207/Former-drug-addict-and-ex-convict-Jamie-Blandford-becomes-12th-Duke-of-Marlborough-after-father-dies.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live| access-date= 17 October 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> {{As of|2016|10}}, the Marlboroughs still have to tender a copy of the French royal flag to the Monarch on the anniversary of the Battle of Blenheim as rent for the land that Blenheim Palace stands on.<ref name="OS">{{cite web | url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getoutside/guides/facts-about-blenheim-palace/ | title=Interesting Facts About Blenheim Palace | publisher=Ordnance Survey | work=#GetOutside | access-date=20 October 2016}}</ref>

The palace, park, and gardens are open to the public on payment of an entry fee (maximum {{GBP|32}}, {{As of|2022|09||lc=y}}).<ref name=prices>{{cite web |title=Tickets & Booking |url=https://www.blenheimpalace.com/tickets-booking/ |publisher=The Blenheim Palace Heritage Foundation Charity |access-date=22 September 2022 |date=2022}}</ref> Several tourist entertainment attractions separate from the palace are the Formal and Walled Gardens, Marlborough Maze and the Butterfly House. The palace is linked to the Walled Garden by a miniature railway, the [[Blenheim Park Railway]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Visit and Explore |url=https://www.blenheimpalace.com/visitus/ |publisher=The Blenheim Palace Heritage Foundation Charity |date=2022|access-date=22 September 2022}}</ref> 

The public have free access to about five miles (8&nbsp;km) of [[Rights of way in England and Wales|public rights of way]] through the Great Park area of the grounds, which are accessible from Old Woodstock and from the [[Oxfordshire Way]], and which are close to the Column of Victory.<ref>See Ordnance Survey maps via map sources: {{coord|51.852|N|1.372|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SP433173)}}</ref>

Lord Edward Spencer-Churchill, the brother of the current Duke, wished to feature a contemporary art programme within the historic setting of the palace where he spent his childhood. He founded [[Blenheim Art Foundation]] (BAF), a non-profit organisation, to present large-scale contemporary art exhibitions.<ref>{{cite web|title = Lawrence Weiner American artist and founding figure of Conceptual Art to be next artist at Blenheim Art Foundation |publisher= FAD Magazine|url = http://fadmagazine.com/2015/07/23/lawrence-weiner-american-artist-and-founding-figure-of-conceptual-art-to-be-next-artist-at-blenheim-art-foundation/|access-date = 2 October 2015|first = Mark|last = Westall|date= 23 July 2015}}</ref> BAF launched on 1 October 2014 with the UK's largest ever exhibition by [[Ai Weiwei]].<ref>{{cite web|title = Ai Weiwei prepares for Blenheim Palace show but must keep his distance|url = https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/aug/28/ai-weiwei-blenheim-palace-show-3d-computer-model|website = The Guardian|access-date = 2 October 2015|first = Maev|last = Kennedy|date = 28 August 2014}}</ref> The foundation was conceived to give a vast number of people access to innovative contemporary artists working in the context of this historic palace.<ref>{{cite web|title = Lawrence Weiner. Within a Realm of Distance|date = 27 July 2015|url = http://wsimag.com/art/16850-lawrence-weiner-within-a-realm-of-distance|access-date = 2 October 2015}}</ref> 

In September 2019, following the opening of [[Maurizio Cattelan]]'s show "Victory is not an option", the palace was the scene of a robbery when thieves entered the palace at night time and stole an 18-carat golden toilet, valued at £4.8 million, which had been installed by the artist in one of the bathrooms.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2019/09/16/maurizio-cattelan-gold-toilet-blenheim-palace-news/ |title=$5 million solid gold toilet stolen in "surreal" Blenheim Palace heist |date=16 September 2019 |publisher=De Zeen |access-date=29 April 2022}}</ref> In April 2024 one of those responsible pleaded guilty to the theft at [[Oxford Crown Court]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/02/man-pleads-guilty-to-oxfordshire-theft-of-48m-golden-toilet |last=Badshah |first=Nadeem |title=Man pleads guilty to theft of £4.8m gold toilet from Blenheim Palace |date= 2 April 2024 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=3 April 2024}}</ref> During the trial of the other men involved, at Oxford Crown Court, the court was told that the toilet was probably broken up and had not been recovered.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn04xkx43pjo|title=Blenheim Palace £4.8m gold toilet stolen in minutes, court hears|date=24 February 2025|website=BBC News}}</ref> On 18 March 2025 one man was found guilty of planning the burglary, a second man was convicted of conspiring to sell the gold, while a third man was cleared of the same charge.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3nrrmk04mo|title=Gold toilet: Two men guilty over £4.8m Blenheim Palace heist|date=18 March 2025|website=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Staff |date=2025-03-18 |title=Man found guilty over £4.8m Oxfordshire gold toilet heist |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/18/man-found-guilty-over-48m-oxfordshire-gold-toilet-heist |access-date=2025-03-18 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

{{Anchor|Filming location}}Blenheim Palace is a frequent location for [[Filming location|filming]]. A survey in 2021 noted that Blenheim made 71 appearances in film and television, more than for any other [[English country house]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blenheim Palace makes most TV and film appearances |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/19097592.blenheim-palace-makes-tv-film-appearances/ |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=[[Oxford Mail]] |date=21 February 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The site offers a tour of the various filming locations.<ref name="UltimateMoviePalace">{{Cite web |title=Blenheim... the ultimate movie palace |url=http://www.henleylife.co.uk/henley-life/blenheim-the-ultimate-movie-palace-109.html |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=www.henleylife.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-01-08 |title=Go 'on location' with Blenheim Palace's new film trail |url=https://www.groupleisureandtravel.com/news-and-views/go-on-location-with-blenheim-palaces-new-film-trail/8381.article |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811164319/https://www.groupleisureandtravel.com/news-and-views/go-on-location-with-blenheim-palaces-new-film-trail/8381.article |archive-date=2020-08-11 |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=Group Leisure and Travel |language=en}}</ref>

In March 2024, it was announced that Blenheim Palace would be the venue for the [[4th European Political Community Summit|4th summit]] of the [[European Political Community]] on 18 July 2024.<ref name="pressrelease">{{Cite web |date=19 March 2024|title=UK to host European Political Community meeting in July 2024 at Blenheim Palace|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-host-european-political-community-meeting-in-july-2024-at-blenheim-palace|access-date=19 March 2024|website=GOV.UK|language=en-UK|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319171732/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-host-european-political-community-meeting-in-july-2024-at-blenheim-palace|archive-date=19 March 2024|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 March 2024|title=UK at last confirms European Political Community summit date|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/european-political-community-summit-date-confirmed-uk-blenheim-palace-summit-ukraine/|access-date=19 March 2024|website=[[Politico]]|language=en-UK|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319164835/https://www.politico.eu/article/european-political-community-summit-date-confirmed-uk-blenheim-palace-summit-ukraine/|archive-date=19 March 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{wide image|Blenheim Palace panorama.jpg|800px|align-cap=center|A panoramic view of Blenheim Palace}}