Al-Fayed’s son Dodi would eventually become romantically tied with the Princess of Wales, and was her last boyfriend. He died alongside her in the tragic crash at the tunnel of the Pont de l’Alma in Paris in 1997.

So what do we know about the billionaire today?

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True to The Crown, he did purchase Harrods to fit into British high society

Al-Fayed came from a long line of wealthy Egyptians. According to The New York Times, his family prospered in the 19th century by growing cotton along the Nile and shipping it to England. Al-Fayed eventually founded his own shipping company in Egypt before becoming a financial adviser to the Sultan of Brunei in 1996, Arabian Business reported.

Of his many ventures, it is the Hotel Ritz Paris and Harrods department store that are most associated with him. Time reported that the purchase of Harrods was one of many investments that Al-Fayed hoped would buy his way into British high society. He would also later purchase Punch Magazine and the Fulham FC football team.

His purchase of Harrods led to one of the greatest political scandals of the UK in the 1990s

Despite his efforts to fit into the British upper crust, his purchase of Harrods was not well-received. According to Time, Al-Fayed found himself an outsider and even faced animosity in England.

However, Al-Fayed’s conflict against Lonrho was not the end of his troubles. In 1994, The Guardian broke news that Al-Fayed had paid Conservative MPs Neil Hamilton and Tim Smith for a parliamentary lobbying campaign on his behalf. The payments were allegedly made between 1987 and 1989, when the Department of Trade and Industry was asked to look into his takeover of Harrods.

On top of a £50,000 fee (US$140,000 today), Al-Fayed reportedly paid £2,000 (US$5,500 today) per question asked in parliament. Hamilton also received free holidays at the Hotel Ritz Paris and shopping sprees at Harrods.

Al-Fayed said that these actions were done upon recommendation by British political lobbyist Ian Greer. He has since severed ties with Ian Greer Associates.

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Al-Fayed set up his son Dodi with Princess Diana

It was reportedly Mohamed who played matchmaker between his son Dodi and Princess Diana. “His ulterior motive was to play cupid between the princess and his eldest son, Dodi,” wrote Katie Nicholl in her 2010 book William and Harry: Behind the Palace Walls.

In 1997, Mohamed invited the princess and her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, to holiday in Saint-Tropez with his family. According to Elle, he even bought the luxury yacht Jonikal especially for the trip.

Mohamed succeeded in setting his son up with the princess, as Dodi and Princess Diana were photographed kissing by the Sunday Mirror in the month following their trip. Unfortunately, their relationship would be short-lived, as the two passed away mere weeks later in a tragic car accident under the Pont de l’Alma in Paris.

Al-Fayed insisted that his son and Princess Diana’s demise was not an accident

Despite a French court determining that Dodi and Princess Diana died due to their driver’s intoxication, Mohamed accused British security services of plotting the car crash that led to their untimely demise, reported ABC News. Mohamed also alleged that American agencies such as the FBI, the CIA and the National Security Agency were concealing evidence from his legal team.

However, in 2008, Reuters reported that Mohamed finally gave up attempts to prove that the couple had been murdered: “Enough is enough … I’m leaving the rest for God to get my revenge, but I’m not doing anything any more,” he said.

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Due to his involvement in political scandals, he was denied British citizenship twice

Al-Fayed was denied British citizenship twice, despite his billionaire status. According to The Guardian, Al-Fayed first sought a UK passport in 1995, but was rejected by the government. After his brother Ali’s successful citizenship grant in 1999, Al-Fayed reapplied for citizenship, but was denied a second time.

The rejections were reportedly due to Al-Fayed’s involvement in high-profile controversies, such as the “cash for questions” scandal of 1994, and his conspiracies of the British government plotting his son Dodi and Princess Diana’s deaths. A government source reportedly told British media that Al-Fayed “was not a fit and proper person to be given citizenship”.

Three women accused him of sexually assaulting them

In 2018, three anonymous women approached Channel 4 News with claims that Al-Fayed had sexually harassed them, with one of the women even alleging that she was only 15 years old when the businessman advanced on her. All three were employees of Harrods who were showered with wads of cash and gifts before they were assaulted.

Al-Fayed’s lawyer reached out separately to Channel 4 News and called the allegations “false”. No other statements were made by Al-Fayed’s team.