Mohamed Al-Fayed Dies Aged 94 Just A Day Before Anniversary Of Dodi's Death

Billionaire businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed who was the former owner of Harrods and Fulham FC, passed away on Wednesday his family has announced after multiple reports in Egyptian media.

Billionaire businessman and former owner of Harrods and Fulham FC Mohamed Al-Fayed has died aged 94, his family have confirmed.

The news comes just a day after the anniversary of his son Dodi Al-Fayed's death. Boyfriend of Princess Diana, he died in the same car as her in that infamous crash in Paris on August 31 in 1997.

Mr Al-Fayed, who also owned the Hôtel Ritz in the French capital and for many years believed that the crash had been caused deliberately, even financing a film promoting the conspiracy theory.

His death was being reported by multiple Egyptian sources including Nile FM, before Fulham FC released his family's message confirming the news.

In a statement, his family said: “Mrs Mohamed Al Fayed, her children and grandchildren wish to confirm that her beloved husband, their father and their grandfather, Mohamed, has passed away peacefully of old age on Wednesday August 30, 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.”

Al- Fayed's funeral has already taken place and was held in a London mosque after Friday prayers. However, this is yet to be confirmed.

Mr Al-Fayed will also be remembered for his charitable work. He set up the Al Fayed Charitable Foundation in 1987 aiming to help children with life-limiting conditions and children living in poverty.

The charity works mainly with charities and hospices for disabled and neglected children in the UK, Thailand and Mongolia

Mr Al-Fayed bought The Ritz hotel in Paris in 1979, and top London department store Harrods in 1984.

In 1985, Mr Al-Fayed married Finnish socialite and former model Heini Wathén, with whom he also had four children: Jasmine, Karim, Camilla, and Omar.

In 1997, he paid £30million for Fulham football club and once built a statue of Michael Jackson to stand outside Craven Cottage after the singer made a visit.

Fulham Football Club paid tribute to Al Fayed after news of his death, the club wrote on X: "Everyone at Fulham was incredibly saddened to learn of the death of our former Owner and Chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed.

"We owe Mohamed a debt of gratitude for what he did for our Club, and our thoughts now are with his family and friends at this sombre time."

In his later years, Mr Al Fayed sold off several of his high-profile businesses. In 2010, he sold Harrods, the prize of his business empire, to Qatar for a staggering $2.4billion.

Speaking to the Evening Standard at the time, he said: "Of course it makes me sad ... you can go ask everyone, people don't want me to go. But first of all I can't take this. I am 77 years old, right. I have children, I have grandchildren, you know ... I have done it. And time for me now to rest. And enjoy."

Three years later, in 2013, he also said goodbye to Fulham Football Club, which he sold to fellow-billionaire Shahid Khan for $300m.

It's believed that Mr Al-Fayed never got over the death of his beloved son Dodi. Speaking on the 20th anniversary of the crash, a family friend told The Sun that Dodi's apartment had been kept looking the same as it did at the time of his death.

They told the newspaper: "He often spends hours on end sitting with Dodi. After 20 years he still misses him terribly. And when he is in London he will take time out to visit Dodi’s apartment. Not one thing inside has changed since Dodi died. He will not allow anyone to move anything.

"The apartment is cleaned but it is still exactly the same as when Dodi and Diana used to spend time there".

Current Fulham owner Shahid Khan also paid tribute to Mr Al Fayed on the club's website.

It read: "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 cannot be told without a chapter on the positive impact of Mr 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 always enjoyed my time with Mr Al Fayed, who was wise, colourful and committed to Fulham, and I am forever grateful for his trust 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.”

Fulham fans also took to X to pay tribute to their former owner and club legend.

One fan said: "Mohamed Al-Fayed sleep easy you legend, thank you for everything."

While another said: "You let us live the dream, Proper Fulham. Rest in Peace Mohamed Al-Fayed."