CAN there be anyone left in Britain who isn't sick to death of hearing about the most gossiped-over couple in history, Charles and Diana?

We heard every sordid detail of Diana's life during her separation and divorce.

And we thought there could be nothing left to say after her canonisation by her followers when she died.

But after being praised to the skies as an angel too good for this world, it's the other side's turn to slag her off as some sort of tart.

Whenever a couple divorce, their friends take sides.

And it's no bad thing for the miserable pair to know they have loyal allies who will listen to their tales of woe and reassure them that their ex was never good enough for them anyway.

After the battles over the house, the children and the best china, it can be comforting to turn to your oldest friends and hear them tell tales about your awful ex.

Charles' and Diana's friends were obviously no exception, but do we all have to listen to their voices whingeing: "But she started it?"

It's already clear that neither half of the Royal couple were saints.

But isn't it time to leave their sorry tale, instead of hanging over the carcass of their marriage like a flock of vultures determined to pick every shred of meat from the bones.

And for those of us who don't give a damn, perhaps we could have some news in our national newspapers.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.