European Summit Live: Zelensky tells European leaders at major summit that Putin is not dividing us

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As European leaders meet behind closed doors, let’s take a closer look at the historic background to the summit.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace was built between 1705 and 1722.

The Baroque palace was the birthplace of former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and stands on over 2,000 acres.

It was named after the Battle of Blenheim in 1704 and built as a gift from Queen Anne to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, after the victory over the French and Bavarian forces.

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Sir Winston Churchill returned to the palace on November 30, 1874, during his boarding school holidays, and was born there.

He proposed to his wife Clementine at the Shrine of Diana in the grounds of Blenheim Palace in 1908. They spent the first three nights of their honeymoon at the palace and continued to visit there afterwards, bringing their children with them.

The palace has belonged to the Churchill family and is currently home to Charles James Spencer-Churchill, the 12th Duke of Marlborough, and his family.

This impressive building has also been used as a backdrop in films such as Harry Potter, James Bond and Mission: Impossible.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock