Dodi Fayed
Emad El-Din Mohamed Abdel Mena'em Fayed[b] (/ˈfaɪ.ɛd/; 15 April 1955[a] – 31 August 1997), commonly known as Dodi Fayed,[c] was an Egyptian film producer and the eldest child of the businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed. He was romantically involved with Diana, Princess of Wales, when they both died in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.
"Dodi Al Fayed" redirects here. Not to be confused with the Indonesian footballer Dody Alfayed.
Dodi Fayed
31 August 1997 (aged 42)
Film producer
Romantic relationship with Diana, Princess of Wales
- Omar Al-Fayed (half-brother)
- Jamal Khashoggi (cousin)
Early life and education[edit]
Fayed was born in Alexandria, Egypt, the eldest child of Mohamed Al Fayed (1929–2023). His father later became the owner of Harrods department store, Fulham Football Club, and the Hôtel Ritz Paris.[11] Fayed's mother Samira Khashoggi (1935–1986),[12] was Saudi of Turkish descent, and an author. She was a daughter of Muhammad Khashoggi and sister of Saudi billionaire arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi. She and her brother were first cousins of the late Washington Post Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was assassinated in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul in 2018.[13]
Fayed had four half siblings from his father's second marriage to Heini Wathén: Omar, Camilla, Karim, and Jasmine Fayed.[12][14]
Fayed was a student at Collège Saint Marc in Alexandria before attending the Institut Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland.[15][16] He also briefly attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[11]
After completing his education, he worked as an attaché at the United Arab Emirates Embassy in London.[16]
Film production[edit]
Through his family's production company, Allied Stars, Fayed was an executive producer of the films Chariots of Fire, Breaking Glass, F/X, F/X2, Hook, and The Scarlet Letter, and an executive creative consultant for F/X: The Series. He also worked for his father on marketing for Harrods.[2]
Personal life[edit]
In 1986, Fayed married model Suzanne Gregard. They divorced eight months later. According to her memoir, Babylon Confidential, Claudia Christian had an on-again, off-again romance with Fayed.[17]
In 1997, Fayed reportedly became engaged to American model Kelly Fisher. With money from his father, he bought a house in Malibu, California, for Fisher and him.[18]
In July 1997, Fayed became romantically involved with Diana, Princess of Wales, after entertaining her on his yacht Cujo.[19][20] Fisher learned of Fayed's relationship with Diana only after seeing paparazzi photos of the two embracing. Fisher announced that she was filing a breach of contract suit against him, saying he had "led her emotionally all the way up to the altar and abandoned her when they were almost there," and that he "threw her love away in a callous way with no regard for her whatsoever".[21] Fayed denied that he was ever engaged to Fisher.[22] Fisher dropped the lawsuit shortly after Fayed's death.[23]