Egyptian billionaire businessman Mohamed Al Fayed, father to Dodi Al Fayed, Princess Diana’s former boyfriend, died Wednesday aged 94, according to several reports.
“Mrs Mohamed Al Fayed, her children and grandchildren wish to confirm that her beloved husband, their father and their grandfather, Mohamed, has passed away peacefully of old age on Wednesday August 30, 2023,” Al Fayed’s family said in a statement, per the BBC. “He enjoyed a long and fulfilled retirement surrounded by his loved ones.”
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Al Fayed reportedly started out selling fizzy drinks and sewing machines before venturing into real estate, shipping and construction and ultimately gaining ownership of the London luxury store Harrods, the London soccer club Fulham FC and the Ritz hotel in Paris. His business success was reportedly attributed to his work for the Saudi businessman and arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, uncle of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (RELATED: Yacht Used By Princess Diana Sinks In The Mediterranean)
Everyone at Fulham was incredibly saddened to learn of the death of our former Owner and Chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed.
We owe Mohamed a debt of gratitude for what he did for our Club, and our thoughts now are with his family and friends at this sombre time.
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) September 1, 2023
Al Fayed was refused British citizenship in 1994 despite having lived in the UK since the 1960s, having British children, earning an indefinite leave to remain in the country and being steeped in charity.
One of Al Fayed’s sons, Dodi, was Princess Diana‘s boyfriend following her failed marriage to Prince Charles. Dodi and Diana were involved in a car crash in a tunnel at the Pont de l’Alma bridge in Paris, in which Dodi died instantly while Diana, critically injured, later died at the hospital. The bereaved Al Fayed touted conspiracy theories about the deaths.
Al Fayed also faced a raft of sexual and verbal harrassment allegations. An extravagant man, he reportedly succumbed to dementia in his final years.
My abiding memory of Mohamed Al Fayed. #Diana pic.twitter.com/6lqrJAoFky
— Peter Hunt (@_PeterHunt) September 1, 2023
“The story of Fulham cannot be told without a chapter on the positive impact of Mr Al Fayed as Chairman. His legacy will be remembered for our promotion to the Premier League, a Europa League Final, and moments of magic by players and teams alike,” Shahid Khan, Al Fayed’s successor at Fulham FC, said in a tribute.
“He was honestly controversial, but I feel that he did more good in this world than all of his critics combined,” Michael Cole, Al Fayed’s former director of public affairs, said to Sky News.