Princess Diana’s London blue plaque installed by Sunderland builder

The plaque was unveiled by the princess’ former flatmate Virginia Clarke at the property in Coleherne Court on Old Brompton Road, where Diana lived with friends for two years before marrying Prince Charles in 1981.

It was put up by Trevor Ramsay from South Bents, who has installed around 200 English Heritage blue plaques around the capital since 2005.

Trevor, 64, lived and worked in London for 28 years, but is now invited down from Wearside to fit an average of 10 or 12 plaques each year.

Installation is a specialised task. A hole must be put into the wall to perfectly accommodate the 500mm x 50mm plaques. Trevor also hangs the unveiling curtains.

Diana died in 1997 and last month would have been her 60th birthday. The unveiling was kept deliberately low-key.

She becomes the latest in a long line of recipients to require Trevor’s craftsmanship. Others include John Lennon, Rudolf Nureyev, Bob Marley, Charlie Chaplin, Freddie Mercury, Bobby Moore, Kenneth Williams, Tommy Cooper, Ava Gardner and Washington-born explorer and administrator Gertrude Bell.

In April Trevor installed plaques to dramatist John Osborne and reformer Caroline Norton, one of the other five women besides Princess Diana to be honoured this year. Only this month he fitted a plaque at the London home of Muppets creator Jim Henson.

Among the many famous people to meet Trevor at unveilings are Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, Paul Merton, Richard Attenborough and ballerina Darcey Bussell.

Trevor, who has been married to Kathleen for 43 years, said: “I’m very happy and quite proud I suppose. In a way it’s just like putting up another plaque, but this one is different. This one is extra special.

“The guy who looks after the building says people come to see it anyway. It will be a bit easier for them to figure out where it is now.”

In her speech Mrs Clarke said she and Diana lived there: “Not quite as Netflix would have you believe in The Crown, but very happily with much laughter.”

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