Diana, Princess of popularity

A lot of media attention has been trained on a particular trial last year or rather the lack of one. After the Queen's surprising interference with the prosecution case against Paul Burrell, Diana's former butler, all the questions and speculation about the nature the Princess's death have been brought up once again. One of the things that has been causing me endless confusion recently is the appearance of Diana, Princess of Wales in the BBC's series of programmes 'Great Britons'.
Is it really fair to include Diana amongst the names of people like Darwin and Newton who spent their lives finding new ways to look at the world and challenging old ideas?. Or placed as equal alongside Shakespeare who (depending on your view and how much coursework you had to write about him) is acknowledged as the greatest poet and playwright in recent history?
I would be the first to admit that Diana did do a lot for charitable causes. Her work to destroy the risk of undiscovered land mines was well known and appreciated. However we have to face facts, Diana may have spent a lot of money on various charities and used her popularity for great good but she had the wealth available to do it. I do not believe it is right to acclaim and hero worship someone who used her status and finance to help people in need while ignoring those whose selfless acts make Diana's look ordinary.
There are people who have sacrificed everything and are willing to risk their lives for others which many people would feel are 'not their problem'. Doctors and Nurses exposing themselves to help ordinary people who have been swept up in wars they do not even understand. Scientists spending a lifetime in the search for a cure to cancer or the battle against aids. Aid workers and members of the Red Cross who spend hours caring for the sick and injured or sharing out food to starving children. Aren't these people worthy of mention?
Perhaps it is our, the public's fault for our lack of interest in World affairs. The founders of modern science are up there with popular figures like our 'martyr' princess and Robbie Williams but I, personally, have no idea who created the MMR vaccine or discovered that dysentery kills so many in developing countries because of lack of education and bad water. It is interesting to reflect that we televise the Eurovision Song contest but not the Nobel prize presentations. I wonder which would attract the most viewers? What does this say about British Culture today?
Perhaps the question we need to ask ourselves is 'What is greatness?' Is it the amount of people who love you or how many lives you change for the better? I sometimes think the British can't cope with the word great so we settle for mediocre.