Mohamed Al Fayed, Former Harrods and Fulham FC Owner, Dies Aged 94

THE GUARDIAN: Egyptian businessman and self-made billionaire dies almost 26 years to the day after his son was killed in Paris car crash

Mohamed Al Fayed standing beside a memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales, and his son Dodi in the Harrods store. Photograph: Eamonn McCabe/The Guardian
Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian-born businessman who owned the department store Harrods, has died aged 94.

His death comes almost 26 years to the day after the car crash in Paris that killed his eldest son, Dodi, and Diana, Princess of Wales, on 31 August 1997.

Fayed was born in Alexandria and was the son of a schoolteacher. In his homeland, he launched his own shipping business, before becoming an adviser to one of the world’s richest men, the Sultan of Brunei, in 1966.

When he arrived in the UK in the 1970s, he joined the board of the mining conglomerate Lonrho in 1975, but left nine months later. In 1979, with his brother Ali, he bought the Paris Ritz Hotel.

The Fayeds’ next target became Harrods and in 1985, the brothers succeeded in clinching a £615m takeover bid of the store in Knightsbridge. » | Nadeem Badshah | Friday, September 1, 2023

Mohamed Al-Fayed, l'énigmatique milliardaire qui s'est brûlé les ailes au contact des Windsor : Le Figaro dresse le portrait d'un homme mystérieux, aux multiples contradictions, décédé à l’âge de 94 ans ce 1er septembre. »

Mohamed Al Fayed: perennial outsider, savvy businessman and grief-broken father: The larger-than-life ex-Harrods owner, who has died aged 94, was never far from the headlines or controversy but was an indomitably bold figure »

Thank God Somebody’s Got Some Balls! Harrods Owner Rejected by Co-operative Board of New York Building

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: He is the owner of Harrods and developed one of the most luxurious apartment blocks in the UK, but it seems that the Prime Minister of Qatar's money cannot buy a home in one of New York's most exclusive buildings.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber bin Muhammad Al Thani has seen his $31.5 million (£19.5m) bid for two apartments on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue rejected by the co-operative board of the building.

While the official reasons for the rejection has not been announced, suggestions in the New York media ranged from the number of children – he has 15 – and staff that would be using the apartments, to his diplomatic immunity status to the fact that the board were uncomfortable with one person having such a large share in the building.

Sheikh Hamad bid a combined total of $31.5 million for apartments 8E and 8W at an auction held by the estate of the reclusive millionaire Huguette Clark, the previous owner of the apartments.

But he was not even granted an interview by the buildings board which, according to various media reports, had concerns over allowing the prime minister of a foreign country to live in the building. » | Mark Hughes, New York | Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Unlawful Killing - Controversial Documentary by Keith Allen on Death of Princess Diana
The trailer for the controversial documentary by Keith Allen examining the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, which is set to premiere at Cannes

Keith Allen on Controversial Diana Documentary


Unlawful Killing is the story of the deaths of Princess Diana, Dodi Fayed and their driver Henri Paul: It reveals a cover-up by the British Establishment culminating in a six month inquest. Keith Allen's ground breaking documentary recreates key moments from the inquest and demonstrates how vital evidence of foul play was hidden from public scrutiny, how the Royal Family were exempted from giving evidence and how journalists, particularly those working for the BBC, systematically misreported the events and in particular, the verdict itself. This is the story of how the world was deceived. »

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Mohammed Al Fayed burns the Queen's coat of arms from Harrods for 'cynical' documentary » | Daily Mail Reporter | Sunday, June 26, 2011

Harrods Department Store Sold


Related article here

Qatari Royal Family Buys Harrods
Fayed invested £400m in Harrods, which was founded in 1840. Photo: Times Online
TIMES ONLINE: Harrods, the world famous department store, has been sold for more than £1.5bn to the Qatari royal family, Times Online can confirm.

Mohamed al-Fayed, the Egyptian owner of the London landmark, has decided to retire and will hand over the reins to Qatar Holding.

The firm was chosen because they would "maintain the traditions of Harrods", said Ken Costa, chairman of Lazard International - the investment bank advising the family trust on the deal.

Fayed received advances from Gulf-based suitors in the last two months, but initially offered them “two fingers” in a vehement refusal.

“People approach us from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar. Fair enough, but I put two fingers up to them all,” Fayed said last month.

“It is not for sale. This is not Marks & Spencer or Sainsbury. It is a special place that gives people pleasure. There is only one Mecca.”

But today Costa confirmed that the owner of Fulham football club has changed his mind. Harrods sold to Qatar Holdings for £1.5bn as Mohamed al-Fayed retires >>> Martina Lees | Saturday, May 08, 2010

Al Fayed Quizzed over Assault Claim
YAHOO! NEWS (UK & IRELAND): Mohamed al Fayed was interviewed under caution by police on Wednesday in connection with an allegation of sexual assault against a girl under 16, sources said.

The Harrods owner voluntarily went to a police station in west London on Wednesday morning to answer questions about the alleged incident in May.

Scotland Yard refused to confirm that Mr al Fayed had been questioned.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that a man attended a west London police station by prior arrangement and was questioned under caution this morning.

"The man was questioned in relation to an allegation of sexual assault on a girl under 16 at a business premises in central London.

"The allegation was received in May 2008."

The Met's Operation Sapphire, which investigates sexual offences across London, is leading the inquiry.

There have been no arrests so far. >>> The Press Association | October 22, 2008

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Mohamed Al Fayed, the Owner of Harrods, ‘Laying Into’ the British Establishment


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