Audrey Hepburn and glam rock icon Marc Bolan are among the notable figures being celebrated with blue plaques that recognize their significant contributions. Other honorees include novelist Barbara Pym, artist Graham Sutherland, ballerina Alicia Markova, and Jamaican writer and activist Una Marson. The blue plaque initiative has been in operation since 1866.
Hepburn’s plaque will be installed in Mayfair, a prestigious area of London where she earned her Oscar-winning role as Princess Anne in the 1953 romantic film “Roman Holiday,” alongside Gregory Peck. Born to Irish-English businessman James Hepburn Ruston and Dutch-Hungarian-French noblewoman Baroness Ella Van Heemstra, Hepburn attended a boarding school in England. She received four Academy Award nominations for her performances in the romantic comedies “Sabrina” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” the drama “The Nun’s Story,” and the horror film “Wait Until Dark.” Just before her passing at the age of 63 in 1993, she was awarded the British Academy’s Special Award by the Princess Royal.
Matt Thompson, the curatorial director of English Heritage, stated, “2025 marks an exciting year for the Blue Plaques Scheme as we honor these remarkable individuals who transformed the cultural landscape of London. From literature and art to dance and music, these figures have significantly shaped the London we know today. Their contributions have not only made a profound impact in their respective fields but continue to inspire future generations.”
Marc Bolan, the frontman of T. Rex, will be commemorated with a plaque at one of his residences in west London. Meanwhile, Alicia Markova, co-founder of the English National Ballet, will be honored at her childhood home in Muswell Hill. Tragically, Bolan passed away at the age of 29 in 1977 when his car collided with a tree in southwest London.
The location for a plaque honoring Jamaican writer Una Marson, recognized by the BBC as its first black producer who developed “Caribbean Voices,” is yet to be determined. The blue plaques, which require approval from the building’s owner, are set to be installed throughout the year.
Previous honorees include Princess Diana, playwright Samuel Beckett, and author Charles Dickens. In 2024, the scheme expanded beyond the capital, with Daphne Steele, credited as the first black matron in the NHS, being honored with a plaque in Yorkshire.