A flat once dubbed the most famous address in Britain now bears a permanent tribute to its most celebrated occupant. A blue plaque has been unveiled at the home of Diana, Princess of Wales at the time she became engaged to Prince Charles.
The plaque now sits on the wall of 60, Coleherne Court on the Old Brompton Road in London where the then Lady Diana Spencer lived when she began a relationship with the Prince of Wales. For months, it was a familiar sight in newspapers and on TV as Diana was followed by the press as rumours of her romance with the heir to the throne continued to grow. Coleherne Court was where she returned having agreed to marry the future king and the home she would leave in February 1981 to appear before the cameras at Buckingham Palace as the official announcement of her engagement was made.
The plaque marks the home Diana left to begin her royal life (Photo by English Heritage)
One of her former flatmates, Virginia Clarke, unveiled the plaque on September 29th 2021. She said ”Those were happy days for all of us and the flat was always full of laughter. Diana went off to become so much to so many. It’s wonderful that her legacy will be remembered in this way.”
The tribute reads ”Lady Diana Spencer, later Princess of Wales, 1961 – 1997, lived here 1979 – 1981”.
The plaque during its production (Photo by English Heritage)
The blue plaque scheme has been running for almost 150 years and commemorates the links between London buildings and some of the most famous and important figures in British history. Nominations for a plaque come from the public and can only be made for those no longer alive.
The scheme is run by English Heritage which described Diana as ”one of the most iconic figures in recent British history”. She is being recognised for her philanthropic work as well as her place in royal history.
