The Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed is known, among other things, as the former owner of the London department store Harrods and the football club Fulham. He passed away on Friday morning, just one day after the 26th anniversary of the death of his son Dodi al-Fayed. Young Al-Fayed died in connection with the car accident in which British Princess Diana died in 1997.
According to Sky News, Mohamed al-Fayed will be buried in central London after the Friday prayer in London’s central mosque in Regent’s Park.
Celebrated by the club
Fulham FC paid tribute to the businessman via X, formerly Twitter, following the news of his passing:
“Everyone at Fulham was incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of our former owner and chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed. We owe Mohamed a debt of gratitude for what he has done for our club, and our thoughts now go out to his family and friends at this sad time.”
The story behind the success
Al-Fayed began his career selling carbonated drinks before becoming a sewing machine salesman. He then began building his family’s fortune through various businesses in real estate, shipping and construction, first in the Middle East and then in Europe.
After moving to London in the 60s, al Fayed soon became a friend of the British royals and society in the capital. He bought high-profile companies such as the Ritz hotel in Paris in 1979 and Harrods in London in 1985. He later bought the Fulham team in 1997.