The ceremony outside Lord Mountbatten's former London home on Monday was attended by Lord Mountbatten's two daughters, the present Countess Mountbatten of Burma and Lady Pamela Hicks.

We all know what a wonderfully special person he was

Prince Charles

Prince Charles spoke fondly of his great uncle, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday on Sunday.

"We all know what a wonderfully special person he was," said the Prince.

"We who knew him miss him continually. He had a wonderful spirit and character about him which once you knew it you would never forget."

'Tickled pink'

Lord Louis Mountbatten, affectionately known as Uncle Dickie by the Royal Family, lived at his Knightsbridge home until the IRA blew up his boat while he was on a fishing trip in the Irish Republic.

His death was greatly mourned by the Prince who regarded him as a close friend and mentor.

Lord Louis Mountbatten: Known as Uncle Dickie by the Royal Family

Lady Mountbatten, who is also commemorated by the English Heritage plaque, died in 1960 aged 58 while co-ordinating relief and welfare in the wake of massacres and mass migrations between India and Pakistan.

The Mountbattens were a rich and glamorous society couple, and became the last Viceroy and Vicereine of India with the job of overseeing independence from 1947 to 1948.

Lord Mountbatten, who was a great grandson of Queen Victoria, was made Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia during the Second World War.

In recognition of the Allied victory over Japan he was made Viscount Mountbatten of Burma.

Wreckage of Lord Mountbatten's boat after it was blown up by the IRA

His former London home is now the residence of the High Commissioner of Singapore.

"All those of us who knew Lord Mountbatten so well would know only too well how pleased he would be that a blue plaque has been put outside Wilton Crescent," said the Prince.

Before the unveiling, Lady Mountbatten said her father would have been "tickled pink..that his very dear great nephew is here to pull the cord."