No people's statue for the People's Princess

When Princess Diana died 13 years ago, millions of Brits assumed there would be a statue erected in her memory,

.

It never happened, partly because the powers-that-be assured us that statues were so 19th century. Since then we have seen statues erected to, among others:

* RAF hero Sir Keith Park

* The Battle of Britain pilots

* Eric Morecambe

* Ernie Wise

* Captain Mainwaring of Dad's Army

Last week, Ronnie Barker was added to this British bronze hall of fame with a statue in Aylesbury.

The message is plain. Statues, far from being outdated, are incredibly popular in the 21st century. Yet all we have to remember the People's Princess by is an unhappy confection of granite and mud in Hyde Park which is grandly styled The Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.

A couple of private sculptures of Di have been produced but it seems there is no political will to raise an official statue in her memory.

You know, it's almost as though the Establishment wants to forget her . . .