On Wednesday 30 August, Mohamed Al-Fayed died at the age of 94. In the course of his life, the Egyptian businessman had the good fortune to rub shoulders with Princess Diana. But how did they actually meet?
Carnet noir. Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed has breathed his last at the age of 94. The sad news was announced by his family in a statement issued by Fulham football club, as revealed by Franceinfo on Saturday 2 September. “Mrs Mohamed Al-Fayed, her children and grandchildren wish to confirm that her beloved husband, father and grandfather, Mohamed, passed away peacefully of old age on Wednesday 30 August 2023”, the family said, before continuing: “He enjoyed a long and fulfilling retirement surrounded by his loved ones. The family has asked that his privacy be respected for the time being.”
In addition to his business activities, the billionaire was known as the father of Dodi Al-Fayed, Princess Diana’s last lover, who also died in the terrible car accident under the Alma bridge tunnel in Paris. The Egyptian businessman had an excellent relationship with the mother of Princes William and Harry. As revealed in the third episode of season 5 of The Crown, Mohamed Al-Fayed met Princess Diana at a polo match in July 1987. They sat next to each other at the event.
Mohamed Al-Fayed and Princess Diana: “They get on very well
After this more than unexpected meeting, Mohamed Al-Fayed and Princess Diana forged a close bond. As Michael Cole, director of public affairs at Harrods, revealed in an interview with Vanity Fair in 1995. “Diana is so easy to get on with […]. Mohamed is not the type to be overwhelmed by her. They get on very well,” he said. The businessman’s daughter, Camilla Fayed, also opened up about her relationship with the princess. “It was great fun being with Diana – she was so beautiful and so kind and she looked after all of us. She tucked us into bed as if we were her own children,” she told Katie Nicholl for the book William and Harry: Behind the Palace Walls, referring to her summer holiday in 1997. She concluded: “We were all very close – it’s just that nobody really knew about our friendship.”
Photo credits: OLIVIER BORDE