This May half term, the activities feature play zones, special character appearances, and food events – offering entertainment for both children and adults.

A key highlight is the Adventure Play attraction in the Walled Garden, the biggest family-themed attraction in the Palace’s history, featuring secret chambers, rope bridges, and water jets.

Visitors can also take part in the Pip and Posy Rainbow Treasure Hunt, inspired by the popular children’s TV series.

Costumed characters of Pip and Posy will be meeting young fans on May 30 and 31.

The programme also includes the Blenheim Palace Food Festival, which runs from May 23 to 25 and features a fantastic line-up of celebrity chefs and experts, and amazing food and drink from gourmet delights to vibrant street food.

Families can ride Winston the mini train to the Walled Garden, explore the Marlborough Maze, and enjoy pizza at the Walled Garden Pizzeria.

The Blueprints of Power exhibition is open until May 31.

The exhibition explores the life and legacy of architect and playwright Sir John Vanbrugh.

Access to the Palace and Food Festival are included with a valid Pass or Park & Gardens Day Ticket.

A Palace and Play Pass grants access to both Blenheim Palace and Adventure Play for a full year as well as many events including the Food Festival and Flower Show.

The pass costs £165 for a family of four.

For full details and booking information, visit www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/may-half-term.

The Black Prince in Manor Road in Woodstock dates back to the 16th century.

Sitting opposite the grounds of Blenheim Palace on the banks of the River Glyme, the spot has always boasted a stunning riverside garden.

The watering hole shut in June of 2023, after the business was sold with the new owners closing the pub for the “foreseeable future”.

READ MORE: Five best pubs in Cotswolds revealed including celebrity hotspot

The Black Prince pub in 2026. (Image: Newsquest)

An announcement from The Black Prince at the time said it believed it would reopen again at some point in the future, but this was not a certainty.

“We are all very shocked and saddened that our journey together must come to an end, and would like to say thank you to everyone who has ever been in to visit us,” said a pub spokesperson three years ago.

“It’s the community that made us as popular as we are, and we share the sadness of the community in this news.

“If we have given you great food, great service and made you feel welcomed, then we have done our jobs. We were never just a pub. We were a home to many people.

“To all our customers, with two legs or four, we can only say you have all been wonderful and have given us many happy memories.

READ MORE: Oxfordshire town on edge of Cotswolds named among best in UK

Inside The Black Prince, when it was previously open.

“You will be missed beyond measure. We hope to see as many of you as possible before the doors close, the chairs are put up, and the candles blown out for one final time.”

The Black Prince is set to reopen in spring 2027. (Image: Google Maps)

Now, the pub is being renovated with an opening date set for 2027, and a new website has been launched.

Frequently asked questions are listed there with answers provided to locals about what kind of guise the pub will return in.

A statement said: “Building works are scheduled to start in 2026, subject to planning approval and conditions, with careful planning to minimise disruption to the local community.

“We anticipate that the pub will be fully renovated and the extension completed in time for a spring 2027 opening.

READ MORE: Look inside award-winning interior designer’s barn in Cotswolds

The Black Prince pub in 2026. (Image: Newsquest)

“This timeline allows for high-quality construction, landscaping, and commissioning, ensuring that the pub and its facilities are ready to welcome residents and visitors safely and comfortably.”

One question raised was whether the renovated pub and hotel rooms would be expensive and aimed only at high-end visitors.

A pub spokesperson said: “No – affordability is central to our approach.

“The pub will continue to offer reasonably priced food and drink so that it remains accessible to local residents as well as visitors.

“The focus is on good-quality, seasonal produce at fair prices, not exclusivity. In the same way, the hotel rooms will be priced competitively within the local market, offering comfortable accommodation that is welcoming to a wide range of guests.

“This approach not only ensures the pub remains a genuine community venue, but also supports local tourism by attracting visitors who contribute to Woodstock’s wider economy, benefiting nearby shops, cafés, and services.”

The former Top Gear and Grand Tour host lives on his Diddly Squat Farm estate near Chipping Norton in West Oxfordshire

This is where the majority of the hit documentary series Clarkson’s Farm is filmed, which has a new season out on Prime Video next month.

Now, writing in his Sunday Times column, the presenter explained that his feed on TikTok is unexpectedly dominated by footage of former United States president Mr Ronald Reagan.

READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson invites girl, 4, to farm after yobs destroy her egg stall

Jeremy Clarkson uses TikTok. (Image: Unsplash)

“I’m not quite sure why, but the algorithm that sends me posts on TikTok has decided that what I’d like most of all is to hear the speeches of old Ron [Ronald Reagan],” wrote Mr Clarkson.

“Other people get girls jumping up and down or people falling off their bicycles, but for me, it’s a never-ending stream of Reagan.

“And God, he was good. His spur-of-the-moment speech to the nation on the evening of the Challenger space shuttle disaster is an absolute masterclass in Presidentialism.

READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson ‘finally owns up’ to his surprising secret hobby

“Donald Trump would do well to watch it and learn.”

A former Hollywood actor who became a leading figure in the Republican Party, Mr Reagan served as the 40th president of the US from 1981 to 1989 after two terms as governor of California.

He is widely remembered for his communication skills, earning the nickname “the Great Communicator”, and for major moments in Cold War politics.

Mr Reagan, who had two terms as governor of California, is also praised for his response to national tragedies such as the Challenger disaster in 1986.