Mohamed al-Fayed, the controversial owner of Harrods, has passed away at the age of 88, leaving behind a legacy of scandal and intrigue. Al-Fayed, who also owned other prestigious establishments such as Fulham Football Club and the Ritz hotel in Paris, was always seen as an outsider in Britain, tolerated but never fully embraced.
One of the notable incidents that alienated him from the British government was their refusal to grant him citizenship, despite living in the country for decades. Al-Fayed often threatened to move to France, where he received the highest civilian award, the Legion of Honour. This strained relationship with the government only added to his status as a controversial figure.
One of the defining chapters in al-Fayed’s life was his relentless pursuit of the truth behind the tragic deaths of Princess Diana and his son Dodi in a car crash in Paris in 1997. For ten years, he tried to prove that their deaths were not accidental but a result of a murder plot. Al-Fayed claimed that Diana was carrying Dodi’s child and accused Prince Philip, the queen’s husband, of ordering Britain’s security services to kill her to prevent her from marrying a Muslim and having his baby. However, these claims were unsupported by any evidence, as concluded by the inquest into Diana’s death.
On the day before the 26th anniversary of Diana and Dodi’s death, al-Fayed’s family announced his peaceful passing due to old age. While al-Fayed had a reputation for self-invention, exaggeration, and boasting, he was undeniably a central figure in significant moments of Britain’s recent history.
His acquisition of Harrods in 1985 sparked a bitter business feud, making headlines across the country. Moreover, in 1994, he caused a scandal by admitting to paying politicians to ask questions in parliament on his behalf, leading to the resignation of four politicians and tarnishing the reputation of the Conservative Party.
Al-Fayed’s unorthodox nature was evident in his unconventional ideas. He once expressed his desire to be mummified in a golden sarcophagus in a glass pyramid on the roof of Harrods. He enforced a dress code, even for customers, and erected a kitsch bronze memorial statue of Diana and Dodi dancing beneath the wings of an albatross at the store.
Notably, al-Fayed’s origins and even his date of birth remained unclear. While he claimed to be born in British-ruled Egypt in 1933, a British government inquiry into the Harrods takeover suggested that he was born in 1929. He became a British resident in 1974 and added al to his name, which led to Private Eye nicknaming him the Phoney Pharaoh.
After 25 years of owning Harrods, al-Fayed sold the iconic department store to Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund in 2010. However, his application for British citizenship had been denied in 1995, with al-Fayed arguing that racism kept him on the fringes of acceptability in British society.
The most tragic event in al-Fayed’s life was the death of his son Dodi, who was in a relationship with Princess Diana. The couple’s fatal car crash in Paris traumatized al-Fayed, leading him to spend millions on legal battles to ensure there was an inquest. Despite making various allegations against prominent figures, including the royal family and Prime Minister Tony Blair, the jury ruled that the couple was unlawfully killed due to their chauffeur’s reckless driving. Al-Fayed eventually accepted the verdict and ceased his legal pursuit to prove their murder, stating that he would leave the rest to God for revenge.
Mohamed al-Fayed’s passing marks the end of a colorful and controversial chapter in British history. While his life was filled with scandal, he undeniably left an indelible mark on the business and cultural landscape of the country.
