Who was Mohamed Al-Fayed? Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Dodi Al-Fayed’s Father!

Updated On March 18, 2024 | Published By: Denise | In Career , controversy , Net Worth

Mohammed Al-Fayed was an Egyptian billionaire. source: People

Mohamed Al-Fayed was a wealthy Egyptian businessman who owned Harrods and Ritz.
He invited Diana, the Princess of Wales on his yacht in the summer of 1997.
He was the father of Diana’s lover, Dodi Al-Fayed.

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Who was Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed?

Mohamed Al-Fayed was the dad of Princess Diana‘s boyfriend, Dodi Al-Fayed, who were dating at the time of their deaths in 1997.

Al-Fayed was a wealthy businessman who was once the sole owner of the famous London department store Harrods and the renowned Ritz in Paris.

Mohamed often confused some with his origin as he often gave misleading details and contradictory versions of his childhood.

He married author Samira Khashoggi in 1954 and welcomed a son named Dodi. However, after the couple’s divorce, Al-Fayed got full custody of his only child.

Mohammed Al-Fayed (1) — Princess Diana, Prince Charles, and Mohamed Al-Fayed during the Harrods Polo Cup at Smith’s Lawn in Windsor, UK, July 1987. source: People

His business franchises were well documented, most famously the purchase of the Ritz in 1979 and House of Frase, including Harrods in 1985 which he purchased alongside his two brothers, Ali and Salah.

After the businessman died in 2023, many believed that he could never really recover from his son’s tragic death in 1997.

Here’s a glimpse at the wealthy yet tragic life of Mohamed.

Also, Read Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson Remembers Princess Diana’s Unique Character and Kind Heart!

Mohamed gave different stories about his past

As long as he lived, Mohamed presented different stories about his childhood and how he grew up with his family. The New York Times claimed that he came from a wealthy Egyptian cotton growers. However, it was later disproven by British investigators.

His 2023 obituary in The New York Times reported that Al-Fayed was born in 1929. His dad, Aly Al-Fayed was a school teacher and he grew up with four siblings.

Who was his wife Samira Khashoggi?

Mohammed married Samira Khashoggi in 1954. The couple welcomed a son named Emad El-Din Mohamed Abdel Mena’em Fayed. The world knew him as Dodi-Al Fayed.

Mohamed and Samira were married only for two years. After the separation, Khashoggi founded Al-Shakirah Magazine and published many books under a pseudonym.

Though Mohamed received full custody of his son, Samira remained a main character in his life. One of Dodi’s friends told The Mirror in 1997,

“He was absolutely devoted to Samira and there was hardly a day he didn’t talk to her from wherever he was. They’d talk for up to an hour and no matter how beautiful the girl might be he was with at the time, he’d drop her in a second if his mother called.”

When did Mohamed move to England?

Al-Fayed grew his business ventures when he moved to England in the 1970s and soon started mingling in posh circles. In 1979, he and his two brothers purchased the Ritz in Paris for $20 million.

In a later interview with Vanity Fair, Al-Fayed said that the Ritz family remained close to his heart after buying it.

He told the magazine,

”When I bought the Ritz, I had in mind to refurbish the hotel in César Ritz’s image — to do things here that would excite me and at the same time make Monsieur Ritz proud of his place if he were to see it today,”
“It took us years, but I’m sure we brought a smile to Monsieur Ritz’s face. It was a joyful experience.”

He also spent another $50 million on the renovations of the hotel to its original state.

Al-Fayed was the owner of Harrods

The Ritz wasn’t the only lavish purchase of Mr. Mohamed. On March 12, 1985, The Guardian claimed that Al Fayed’s company bought the House of Fraser which among many investments included Harrods.

Mohammed Al-Fayed (2) — Queen Elizabeth and Mohammed Al Fayed at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. source: People

Mohamed purchased the House of Fraser alongside his brothers, Ali and Salah, and Fraser’s directors celebrated their efforts.

Chairman Professor Roland Smith said at the time, “We are pleased that the Al Fayed family have secured their majority shareholding in the House of Fraser and look forward to working with them.”

He became friends with Princess Diana

While it is unclear when Al-Fayed and Princess Diana met, the businessman and the princess were seen together at a 1986 polo match that King Charles played in.

His son, Dodi also played the match.

In the summer of 1997, Mohamed invited the newly divorced Diana and her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, 15 and 12 respectively at the time.

Many believe it was that trip that Diana and Dodi reconnected on, despite the latter being engaged to someone else at the time.

Also, Read Find Out More About Lady Amelia Spencer, Princess Diana’s Niece!

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