The businessman, whose son Dodi died along with Princess Diana in a car accident in 1997, also owned the famous Harrods store.
Businessman Mohamed Al Fayed, whose son Dodi died with Princess Diana in a car accident in 1997, has died at the age of 94.
The family announced on Friday (01/09) that Al Fayed passed away “quietly” on Wednesday (30/08).
“He has enjoyed a long and full retirement surrounded by loved ones. The family requests that their privacy be respected at this time,” a statement read.
Born in Egypt, he built a business empire in the Middle East before moving to the UK in the 1970s. However, his cravings for a British passport and British nationality could never be satisfied.
Al Fayed also spent years wondering about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Dodi and Diana, then engaged.
He has stayed out of the limelight for the past decade, living a more private life at his Surrey mansion with his wife Heini.
Al Fayed owned the famous Harrods department store and football club Fulham Football Club. The team progressed from the Third Division to the Premier League under his management.
The club said in a statement it was “incredibly saddened to learn” of the manager’s death: “We owe Mohamed gratitude for what he has done for our club. Our thoughts now are with his family and friends in this difficult time”.
As a young man living in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, Al Fayed had a breakthrough when he met his first wife, Samira Khashoggi. She was the sister of billionaire Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, who hired Al Fayed in his deal with Saudi Arabia.
The role helped him build contacts in Egypt, and although the marriage lasted just over two years, Al Fayed subsequently set up his own shipping business.
In 1966, he became an advisor to one of the richest men in the world, the Sultan of Brunei.
Having amassed considerable wealth and experience, he moved to the UK in 1974.
Five years later, eager to secure a prestigious position in the highest echelons of British society, the Egyptian bought the iconic Ritz hotel in Paris with his brother Ali for £20 million.
It is from the hotel that Dodi, film producer, and Diana left before their car accident.
Al Fayed and his brother bought Harrods in 1985 for £615m after a violent dispute over a bid with mining conglomerate Lonrho Group. The store was sold to Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund in 2010.
Source: Terra
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