Inside Mohamed Al-Fayed's Royal Family Obsession in Wake of Rape Allegations

Mar. 15, 2025

Mohammed Al-Fayed and Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.Photo:Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty

Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty

The late Mohamed Al-Fayed, father ofDodi Fayed, who died alongsidePrincess Dianain a 1997 car crash in Paris, has beenaccused of multiple rapesin a new investigation — inspiring a dive into the billionaire’s fixation with the British royal family.

Al-Fayeddied in August 2023at age 94, leaving behind a self-made fortune of about $2.1 billion, which he amassed in part through ownership of the London luxury department store Harrods, Fulham Football Club and the Ritz Hotel in Paris,Forbesreported.

Al-Fayed acquired a love for all things English as a child in Egypt, according to a 1990 interview with PEOPLE. His fascination with the royal family ultimately led him to purchase Villa Windsor in Paris, the former home ofQueen Elizabeth’s uncle, Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (previously King Edward VIII), and his wife,Wallis Simpson.

‘‘It’s like a mausoleum,’’ Al-Fayed told PEOPLE in 1990 of the estate, for which he spent $12 million to furnish and renovate the unofficial royal residence into a museum.

‘‘It sometimes gives you the creeps — both of them having died here," he said, referencing the late Duke and Duchess of Windsor, who lived an exiled life after Edward’s abdication in 1936. “But it’s still a happy place, a great fantasy which I love to live in.”

(Left) Wallis Simpson and Prince Edward, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, in 1939; Villa Windsor in Paris in 1986.Fox Photos/Getty, MICHEL CLEMENT/AFP via Getty

Fox Photos/Getty, MICHEL CLEMENT/AFP via Getty

Season 5 ofThe Crownon Netflix recently reimagined Mohamed Al-Fayed’s journey from humble beginnings to his rise in British society and interactions with royalty. While the series explores his life story, the exact details and timing of his meeting with Princess Diana remain unclear. However, both Al-Fayed and the princess were present at a 1986 polo match, where futureKing Charleswas playing. Al-Fayed’s son, Dodi Fayed, also participated in the game, a scene that was notably recreated in the latest season ofThe Crown.

In real life, the entrepreneur was also photographed with Queen Elizabeth several times at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Princess Diana, Prince Charles, and Mohamed Al-Fayed during the Harrods Polo Cup at Smith’s Lawn in Windsor in July 1987.Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty

Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty

After Princess Diana’s divorce from Charles, Mohamed Al-Fayed extended an invitation to her and her sons,Prince WilliamandPrince Harry, to join him for a summer vacation on his yacht in St. Tropez in 1997. It is believed that during this trip, Diana and Dodi Fayed rekindled their relationship, which soon turned romantic, despite Dodi’s engagement to another woman at the time.

After Princess Diana and Dodi died in anAugust 1997 car crashin Paris, Al-Fayed blamed the British royal family for their deaths. He alleged that Prince Philip had instructed British security services to assassinate Diana to prevent her from marrying Dodi, a Muslim, and became increasingly vocal in his criticism of the royal family.

Princess Diana; Dodi Fayed.Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty; Getty

He famously promoted conspiracy theories surrounding the accident, which also claimed the life of driver Henri Paul and left bodyguardTrevor Rees-Jonesseriously injured. These allegations played a significant role in prompting the launch of theOperation Pagetinquest in 2004.

Mohamed Al-Fayed at the High Court in London in January 2007 for a prelimary hearing ahead of a full inquest into the death of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed.Peter Macdiarmid/Getty

Peter Macdiarmid/Getty

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If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.

source: people.com