Mohamed Al-Fayed was a prominent Egyptian businessman, before he passed away in August 2023. He previously owned luxury department store Harrods and London football team Fulham, and the Hôtel Ritz Paris was in his name until he died.
His son Dodi Fayed was in a relationship with the late Princess Dianawhen they were in a fatal car crash in Paris in 1997, resulting in both their deaths. Since season five of The Crown, Salim Dau has taken on the role of the business tycoon and Dodi's father, and in season six we see him take on a more central role. Take a look back at his eventful life here.
When was Mohamed Al-Fayed born?
Mohamed's birth year has been widely disputed, but the Department of Trade found it to be 1929. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and is thought to have been the eldest son of a primary school teacher.
When did Mohamed Al-Fayed die?
The businessman died on 30 August 2023, aged 94. It was confirmed by his family that Mohamed 'passed away peacefully' from old age.
Who is Mohamed Al-Fayed's wife, and who are his children?
Mohamed was married to Saudi Arabian author Samira Khashoggi from 1954 until 1956. Together they had one son, Dodi - who tragically passed away alongside Princess Diana after their car crash. The businessman went on to wed Finnish model and socialite Heini Wathén almost three decades after his divorce in 1985, with the couple sharing four children: Jasmine, Karim, Camilla and Omar.
What has Mohamed Al-Fayed done in his career?
In November 2022, Mohamed's wealth was estimated to be around $1.9billion (£1.6billion), which he began to amass after founding a shipping company with his brothers in Egypt, whose headquarters were later moved to Italy. In the mid-60s, he built up a relationship with Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, who reportedly introduced him to British construction and property development companies. The magnate proceeded to buy the Ritz hotel in Paris in 1979, obtain House of Fraser (which then owned Harrods) with his brothers in 1985, and purchase Fulham Football Club in 1997.
Who owns Harrods now?
Back in 2010, it was announced that Mohamed had sold Harrods to Qatar Holdings for £1.5 billion pounds. The sale came as a surprise to many considering the businessman had been open about his attachment to the department store - even once claiming he wanted to be entombed on the roof. Harrods was also home to a display in honour of Dodi and Diana, including a bronze statue of the couple dancing.
Opening up about the move, Mohamed said, 'It came at a moment where I felt absolutely disillusioned. Of course it makes me sad, but first of all, I can't take this. I am 77 years old. I have children, I have grandchildren. I have done it, and time for me now to rest and enjoy.'
Is Mohamed Al-Fayed in the season six of The Crown?
The Crown season six launched on Netflix in November, with actor Salim Dau making a bold return as the Harrods businessman and father of Dodi Fayed.
Opening up about playing Mohamed, Salim said, 'I adore this character. I love him so much and I enjoy portraying him because I love him. In this series, he is so human and he's so colourful. He’s hard sometimes, very hard, funny, like a child - with his son he’s sometimes very, very hard but he has plenty of love for his son and the audience will see that and will feel exactly what I’m talking about.'
In part one, he was shown to meddle heavily in his son and Princess Diana's relationship – breaking up Dodi's existing engagement to Kelly Fisher in the process. His character begs his son to tie down the Princess and propose to her, saying it would eclipse anything he has achieved in his life.
We then see Mohamed find out about the fatal car crash in August 1997 that killed his son, Princess Diana and their driver. Mohamed then urges the royal family to include him and his family in their mourning and for the world to recognise Dodi's death too.
In part two, we will see him launch his ten-year inquiry into their death.
Mohamed Al-Fayed and the inquiry into Princess Diana's death
Following their deaths, Mohamed Al Fayed was convinced Dodi and Diana were killed in a conspiracy masterminded by the British establishment and Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II.
By his estimations, Dodi and Diana were engaged (he also said that Diana was pregnant) and the royal family set up the accident because they did not like the idea of Diana dating a Muslim or an Egyptian.
His 69-day inquest concluded that Diana and Dodi died because of the reckless actions of their driver - an employee of the Ritz Hotel owned by Mohamed - and paparazzi chasing the couple. Separate inquiries in the UK and France also concluded there was no conspiracy.
Mohamed continued to campaign against the royal family for years, until he finally closed the chapter for the sake of Prince William and Prince Harry.
How did Mohamed Al-Fayed meet Princess Diana?
Although in season five of The Crown, Mohamed is seen meeting Diana at a polo match, it is not known exactly where Mohamed and Princess Diana first crossed paths but he is the matchmaker behind his son's ill-fated relationship with her in 1997. Mohamed and the late Princess of Wales had a good relationship, with the former director of public affairs at Harrods, Michael Cole, saying in 1995, 'Diana is so easygoing with Mohamed. Mohamed is not one of those who's overwhelmed by her. They spark off each other very well.'
In the summer of 1997, Mohamed invited Diana and her sons Prince William and Harry to holiday on his yacht in the south of France - which is where her romance with Dodi blossomed.
On 31 August, Dodi and Diana were killed in a car crash at the Pont de l'Alma underpass in Paris, aged 42 and 36 respectively.
In the wake of their deaths, Mohamed accused MI6 of killing the couple on the orders of Prince Philip, who he claimed would never allow a Muslim to marry into the Royal Family. Years of legal battles concluded in 2008 when Mohamed accepted the jury's verdict: that they were unlawfully killed by grossly negligent driving.
What is Mohamed Al-Fayed's connection to Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson?
In the opening scenes of season five, episode three, of The Crown, Mohamed is fascinated when Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson visit Egypt. After purchasing The Ritz, he tells Dodi to dismiss a Black server (Sydney Johnson, played by Jude Akuwudike) but when he learns that he was in fact the Duke of Windsor's personal valet for 30 years, Mohamed hires him as his own valet. Sydney turns out to be an incredible asset to the businessman by teaching him the ways of the Royal Family.
Following Wallis' death in 1986, Mohamed took out a 50-year lease on the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s French home, Le Bois, in Bois de Boulogne. He intended to turn it into an honorary museum for the former King (who passed in 1976) and his wife.
After completing a £10.4million restoration on the renamed Villa Windsor in 1990, Mohamed said, 'It’s like a mausoleum. It sometimes gives you the creeps—both of them having died here. But it’s still a happy place, a great fantasy which I love to live in.'