The next time you’re in London, make sure to keep an eye out for the city’s famous blue plaques. A tradition now run by English Heritage that started in 1866, the blue circles are a way of linking historic buildings to important people of the past. In total, there are 950 plaques all over the city, and recently, another was commissioned to honor the late Princess Diana outside the flat where she lived with roommates prior to getting married to Prince Charles in 1981.
“She was an inspiration and cultural icon to many, raising awareness of issues including land mines and homelessness, and helping to destigmatize illnesses such as HIV, leprosy, and depression,” English Heritage’s curatorial director Anna Eavis said in a statement, according to People. “It seems fitting that we should erect a plaque commemorating her work and influence in what would have been her 60th year.”
Diana isn’t the only one being recognized; an array of accomplished women are getting their much-deserved spotlight, including British fashion designer Jean Muir, Irish crystallographer and scientist Dame Kathleen Lonsdale, and others. It’s the organization’s push to honor more notable British women.
Currently, the tribute is still in progress, but appears to be coming along nicely, as Diana’s brother Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, shared on Instagram on Thursday that he’s “tickled pink” about the plaque. Once it’s complete, the plaque will read, “Diana Spencer later Princess of Wales 1961–1997 lived here 1979–1981.”
