Inside the Al Fayed family: From ill-fated royal romance to 'Succession-style' battle over their father's fortune Did you work at Harrods and want to tell your story? Email matthew.lodge@mailonline.co.
uk By Kamal Sultan Published: 11:45 BST, 19 September 2024 | Updated: 11:49 BST, 19 September 2024 e-mail View comments Mohamed Al Fayed's rose from a poverty-stricken childhood in the backstreets of Egyptian city Alexandrian to the top of British high society but his life has been marred by controversy. The high profile businessman, who amassed a £1.3billion fortune before his death in August 2023 aged 94, has been accused of rape and sexual assault by more than 20 female ex-employees.
Meanwhile his four surviving children war over their inheritance which includes a property empire boasting swanky apartment buildings that overlook Hyde Park , a Scottish castle and apartments in New York. Al Fayed had son Dodi , who died in a car crash with Princess Diana in 1997, with his first wife Saudi Arabian Samira Khashoggi in 1955 before they divorced a year later. He later married Finnish socialite and model Heini Wathén in 1985 and they had four children together- Jasmine, born 1980, Karim, born 1983, Camilla born 1985 and Omar born 1987.
Mohammed Al Fayed (right) with his eldest son Dodi at a party for the film Hook in 1992. The Egyptian businessman's eldest child died in a car crash in 1997 After marrying Finnish socialite Heini Wathén, Al Fayed had another four children, includ.