The former proprietor of Harrods, billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed, has died aged 94.

The Egyptian businessman, who was father of Princess Diana's lover Dodi Al Fayed, ran a number of excessive profile companies. Diana and Dodi have been collectively within the automobile which crashed, killing them each, in Paris in 1997.

He additionally beforehand owned Premier League club Fulham, having bought the Craven Cottage aspect for £6.25million in 1997, together with the Ritz Hotel in Paris.

He is alleged to have shared a particular bond with Diana, who died 26 years in the past nearly to the day.

The anniversary of the Paris automobile crash that killed each his eldest son and Diana in 1997 was yesterday, on August 31.

Mr Al Fayed sponsored a variety of charities and occasions, which have been additionally attended by the Royal Family.

In 1995, Michael Cole, then director of public affairs at Harrods, told Vanity Fair: "Diana is so easy going with Mohamed... Mohamed is not one of those who's overwhelmed by her.

"They activate one another very properly."

The enterprise tycoon then invited her, together with Prince William and Prince Harry, to affix his household on their yacht the Jonikal.

There she met Dodi, with whom she rapidly turned shut.

Mohamed claimed the pair have been killed by safety guards, an allegation which resulted within the Harrods retailer being stripped of its 4 royal warrants — the correct to declare that an organization provides items by appointment to the Royal Family. The crash was decided to be an accident by each British and French police investigations.

He was born in 1929 and grew up in Alexandria, Egypt.

In 1954, he married Samira Kashoggi in 1954 and labored for her arms seller brother Adnan Khashoggi, earlier than launching his personal profitable transport firm in Egypt.

Dodi was born a 12 months later, whereas Mohamed moved to the UK in 1974.

In 1979 the tycoon purchased the Ritz resort in Paris, after which a 30 p.c stake in House of Fraser along with his brother Ali.

This deal included Harrods in London, which they later acquired for £615m.

Mohamed is known to have amassed a wealth of £1.3 billion on the time of his loss of life, in keeping with Forbes.

His Al Fayed Foundation arrange in 1987 goals to assist kids with life-limiting circumstances and dwelling in poverty.