Mohamed Al Fayed: Former Harrods and Fulham FC proprietor has died on the age of 94

Mohamed Al Fayed has died on the age of 94.

His household say he “passed away peacefully of old age” on Wednesday.

Sky News understands Al Fayed was buried after Friday prayers at London Central Mosque in Regent’s Park.

The Egyptian-born businessman was greatest often called a former proprietor of the Harrods division retailer and Fulham soccer membership in London.

Al Fayed’s son, the movie producer Dodi Fayed, and Princess Diana died on 31 August 1997 when their automotive crashed in a street tunnel in Paris as they tried to outrun paparazzi photographers on motorbikes.

The news of Al Fayed’s passing comes simply someday after the twenty sixth anniversary of his son’s dying.

He fought an extended marketing campaign after their deaths, alleging the crash was not an accident and that it had been orchestrated by the British safety companies.

However, French police concluded it was an accident, precipitated partly by dashing and by the excessive alcohol degree in driver Henri Paul’s blood. A British police investigation concurred.

His household stated in a press release: “Mrs Mohamed Al Fayed, her youngsters and grandchildren want to affirm that her beloved husband, their father and their grandfather, Mohamed, has handed away peacefully of previous age on Wednesday 30 August, 2023.

“He enjoyed a long and fulfilled retirement surrounded by his loved ones. The family have asked for their privacy to be respected at this time.”

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He is survived by his second spouse, Finnish former mannequin Heidi Wathen, and their 4 youngsters – Jasmine, Karim, Camilla and Omar.

Al Fayed offered Harrods to Qatar Holdings in May 2010.

Three years later, he additionally offered Fulham FC, to the US businessman Shahid Khan.

The membership paid tribute to the businessman on Friday.

His successor as proprietor, Mr Khan, stated: “On behalf of everyone at Fulham Football Club, I send my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mohamed Al Fayed upon the news of his passing at age 94.

“The story of Fulham can’t be informed with no chapter on the constructive impression of Al Fayed as chairman.

“His legacy will be remembered for our promotion to the Premier League, a Europa League Final, and moments of magic by players and teams alike.

“I all the time loved my time with Al Fayed, who was sensible, vibrant and dedicated to Fulham, and I’m ceaselessly grateful for his belief in me to succeed him as chairman in 2013.

“I join our supporters around the world in celebrating the memory of Mohamed Al Fayed, whose legacy will always be at the heart of our tradition at Fulham Football Club.”

Born in Alexandria in 1929, Al Fayed started his profession promoting fizzy drinks after which labored as a stitching machine salesman.

He constructed his household’s fortune in actual property, delivery and building, first within the Middle East after which in Europe.

After transferring to London within the Sixties, Al Fayed quickly turned a pal of royals and excessive society and bought high-profile companies such because the Ritz Hotel in Paris in 1979 and Harrods in 1985.

He later purchased Fulham in 1997 for £6.25m.

The Sunday Times Rich List 2021 reported Al Fayed and his household had been value round £1.7bn.

He turned a pal of Princess Diana by means of his sponsorship of charities and occasions attended by Royal members of the family.

He invited the princess, together with Prince William and Prince Harry, to vacation on his yacht in the summertime of 1997.

Diana – who was divorced from Charles in 1992 – and Dodi had been pictured collectively in St Tropez, sparking rumours of romance.

The billionaire’s relationship with the Royal Family was lately depicted in season 5 of The Crown, the place Al Fayed, performed by Salim Daw, was seen attending to know Diana.

The sixth collection of the present, set to be launched this autumn, will cowl Dodi and Diana’s deadly crash.

Al Fayed was commonly shrouded in controversy.

He fell out with the British authorities over its refusal to grant him citizenship of the nation that was his house for many years and infrequently threatened to maneuver to France, which gave him the Legion of Honour, its highest civilian award.

Al Fayed spent 10 years attempting to show Diana and his son Dodi had been murdered within the 1997 automotive crash.

Unsupported by any proof, in keeping with the inquest into Diana’s dying, he claimed that she was bearing Dodi’s youngster and accused Prince Philip, the Queen’s husband, of ordering Britain’s safety companies to kill her to cease her from marrying a Muslim and having his child.

His takeover of Harrods sparked one in every of Britain’s most bitter enterprise feuds, whereas in 1994 he precipitated a scandal with the disclosure that he had paid politicians to ask questions on his behalf in parliament.

He has additionally been accused of sexual harassment by a number of former Harrods staff.

At Fulham, he erected a larger-than-life, sequined statue of Michael Jackson outdoors the bottom although the singer solely attended one match.

When individuals complained, he stated: “If some stupid fans don’t understand or appreciate such a gift, they can go to hell.”

He additionally put in a bronze memorial statue of Diana and Dodi dancing beneath the wings of an albatross at Harrods.

Even his title and date of start had been contentious.

He maintained he was born in 1933 however a British authorities inquiry into the Harrods takeover stated 1929.

He additionally added the al to his title when he moved to the UK, main the satirical journal Private Eye to nickname him the “Phoney Pharaoh”.