The Crown season 6 shows Mohamed Al-Fayed influencing Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s relationship, but what happened to him after their deaths?
Summary
- The Crown season 6’s portrayal of Mohamed Al-Fayed’s influence on Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s relationship is entertaining but inaccurate.
- Al-Fayed purchased Princess Diana’s old boarding school and transformed it into an institution for children with special needs, paying tribute to the late Princess.
- Al-Fayed maintained conspiracy theories about Diana and Dodi’s deaths, claiming the British Royal Family plotted to murder them, but these claims were debunked by investigations.
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Netflix’s The Crown season 6 includes Dodi’s father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, as an influential force in Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s relationship, but the real Al-Fayed continued to live a full life after the couple’s deaths. The Crown season 6 part 1 focuses on the days leading up to the fatal car accident that killed Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Fayed. For a significant portion of that time, Dodi’s father, Mahomed Al-Fayed was pushing his son and the royal together. While entertaining, this is one of the less accurate parts of Diana’s death in The Crown season 6.
In one of the more poignant moments of The Crown, Mohamed Al-Fayed reflects on his actions and relationship with his son. Watching the scene where Al-Fayed apologizes to his son’s ghost is heartbreaking. The real Al-Fayed likely experienced the same grief and struggle as his fictional counterpart, minus the ghost. This leads to the question of what he did and how he changed after The Crown‘s tragedy.
Mohamed Al-Fayed Purchased Princess Diana’s Old Boarding School & Founded The New School At West Health After Her Death
Al-Fayed’s Memorial To Princess Diana And Dodi Fayed
At the end of The Crown season 6 part 1, Mohamed Al-Fayed struggles to cope with the death of his son and Princess Diana. In real life, Al-Fayed found a way to honor their memory. On the day of Diana and Dodi’s deaths, Diana’s old boarding school, West Heath School at Sevenoaks in Kent, shut down due to insurmountable debt. Less than a year after the fatal accident, Mohamed Al-Fayed bid £2.5 million for the royal’s old boarding school. He then spent another £660,000 renovating the school (via BBC News).
This institution now serves children with social, emotional, and mental support needs. He worked with the school’s first principal to create an environment that catered to children who would otherwise get left behind by the educational system (via West Heath School). This is a lovely homage to the Princess of Wales, who famously engaged in multiple philanthropic endeavors catered towards young people. Additionally, Al-Fayed’s actions pay respect to his son Dodi, who attended multiple prestigious educational institutions.
Mohamed Al-Fayed Maintained That Diana & Dodi’s Deaths Were The Results Of A Conspiracy
Al Fayed’s Numerous Conspiracy Theories About The Fatal Car Accident
Throughout The Crown, Mohamed Al-Fayed is shown manipulating his son Dodi into a relationship with Diana, Princess of Wales. Rather than standing up to his father, Dodi tells him over the phone that he and the Princess have made an arrangement, implying they got engaged. This leads to Mohamed asserting after Princess Diana and Dodi’s deaths that the two were planning to get married. This mostly fictional story arc in The Crown season 6 references the real-life conspiracy theory claims made by Mohamed Al-Fayed after the tragic accident.
Related: The Crown Season 6’s 8 Biggest Changes To The True Story
After the deaths of Diana and Dodi, Mohamed started claiming the British Royal Family plotted to murder the pair. Al-Fayed’s claims, as outlined in the Operation Paget Inquiry Report, were extraordinarily elaborate and complex. Al-Fayed asserted that Diana, Princess of Wales, was engaged to his son and pregnant with his child. The British Royal Family theoretically learned of this because M16, the CIA, and the NSA monitored the Princess’ phone calls. The father claimed the government couldn’t handle the idea of an Egyptian-Arabic man being step-father to the future king, so they plotted to kill Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed. Mohamed Al-Fayed’s claims only get more bizarre from there.
Al-Fayed claimed that the driver wasn’t drinking – a fact confirmed in the Operation Paget inquiry – and someone switched his blood. He said someone deleted all the video footage of the car chase. Moreover, according to Mohamed Al-Fayed, Princess Diana wasn’t given adequate medical care so that she would die along with Dodi Al-Fayed’s baby. These are only a handful of the conspiracy theory claims Mohamed Al-Fayed believed. Operation Paget’s investigation thoroughly debunked Al-Fayed’s claims, but he maintained his beliefs about the deaths throughout the rest of his life. Sadly, by giving credence to some of Al-Fayed’s claims, The Crown makes it easier to believe the rest.
Related: The Crown: What Happened To Kelly Fisher, Dodi Fayed’s Ex-Fiancée?
What Happened To Mohamed Al-Fayed’s Investments & Businesses Before His Death In 2023
Al-Fayed Sold Many Of His Businesses
The Crown properly depicts Mohamed Al-Fayed as a wealthy man with exceptional business skills, giving him name recognition among upper-class circles. Before Mohamed Al-Fayed’s death in August 2023, the business tycoon sold many of his acquisitions. In 2010, he made 1.5 billion pounds selling Harrods department store to the sovereign wealth fund of Qatar, hugely impacting the retail world. Al-Fayed also sold the Fulham Football Club for 300 million dollars to American auto parts billionaire Shahid Khan.
Related: How Old The Crown Season 6’s Major Characters Are (& How Old Each Actor Is In Comparison)
Al-Fayed still owned the Ritz Paris at the time of his death, likely a sentimental investment holding since Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed ate there before their deaths (via WWD). At the time of his death, Mohamed Al-Fayed had an estimated net worth of 2 billion dollars, according to Parade.
Sources: BBC News, West Heath School, Operation Paget Inquiry Report, WWD, Parade
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The Crown Release Date: 2016-11-04 Cast: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton, Matt Smith, Tobias Menzies, Jonathan Pryce, Vanessa Kirby, Helena Bonham Carter, Lesley Manville, Victoria Hamilton, Marion Bailey, Marcia Warren Main Genre: Biography Genres: Biography, Drama, History Rating: TV-MA Seasons: 5 Summary: This drama follows the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and the events that shaped the second half of the 20th century.As the 1970s are drawing to a close, Queen Elizabeth (Olivia Colman) and her family find themselves preoccupied with safeguarding the line of succession by securing an appropriate bride for Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor), who is still unmarried at 30. As the nation begins to feel the impact of divisive policies introduced by Britain’s first female Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson), tensions arise between her and the Queen which only grow worse as Thatcher leads the country into the Falklands War, generating conflict within the Commonwealth. While Charles’ romance with a young Lady Diana Spencer (Emma Corrin) provides a much-needed fairytale to unite the British people, behind closed doors, the Royal family is becoming increasingly divided. Website: https://www.netflix.com/title/80025678 Cinematographer: Stuart Howell, Adriano Goldman Creator: Peter Morgan Distributor: Netflix Main Characters: Peter Townsend, Prince Philip, Anthony Eden, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, Queen Mary, Prince Charles, Princess Margaret Producer: Andy Stebbing, Martin Harrison, Michael Casey, Andrew Eaton, Oona O’Beirn, Faye Ward Production Company: Sony Pictures Television, Left Bank Pictures Sfx Supervisor: John Smith, Chris Stoaling Writers: Peter Morgan Number of Episodes: 50
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Source: SCHOOL EMC
