Everything to Know About Dodi Fayed, Princess Diana's Boyfriend at the Time of Her Death (2024)

Princess Diana's romance with Dodi Fayed, the Egyptian-born film magnate, was just beginning when the two died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. Now, their relationship has taken centerstage in the sixth and final season of Netflix's The Crown.

The show first introduced Dodi (played by Khalid Abdalla) in Season 5's third episode, "Mou Mou." As the son of billionaire Mohammed Al Fayed, who formerly owned Harrods department store and The Ritz Paris, Dodi is desperate to eke out his own success, particularly setting his sights on the film industry. Meanwhile, Season 5 also showed the long and messy road to divorce between Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) and Prince Charles (Dominic West). Eventually, their paths converge—and you'll have to tune into Season 6 to see their full story.

In real life, Diana and Dodi started dating after she took Prince William and Prince Harry to St. Tropez to vacation with his family. Later, model Kelly Fisher would claim that she and Dodi were still engaged at the time the tabloids started reporting on his romance with Diana. (Fisher is portrayed by Erin Richards in The Crown.)

Ahead, we break down the full timeline of Diana and Dodi's relationship, including where they met and who Dodi used to be married to.

1986: They reportedly meet for the first time.

Diana meets Dodi for the first time during a 1986 polo match, in which he competed against her then-husband, Prince Charles, according to The Independent. They would not reconnect again until 11 years later.

The Crown portrays a retelling of this alleged meeting in the third episode of Season 5, during which Mohammed Al Fayed introduces the Princess of Wales to his son.

1986: He marries.

That same year, Dodi got hitched to model Suzanne Gregard, according to his obituary in The Independent. However, the two soon divorced after eight months of marriage.

Everything to Know About Dodi Fayed, Princess Diana's Boyfriend at the Time of Her Death (2)

Dodi and Suzanne.

1997: Dodi gets engaged to Kelly Fisher. Diana goes on vacation with his family in St. Tropez and the two begin dating.

Prior to reconnecting with Princess Diana, the film producer was reportedly engaged to model Kelly Fisher. But, the engagement was called off after Dodi struck up a courtship with Diana during her St. Tropez vacation with Prince William, Prince Harry, and his family in the summer of 1997.

After the holiday, she reportedly wrote him an affectionate letter to express her gratitude for the trip. "This comes with all the love in the world and as always a million heartfelt thanks for bringing such joy into this chick's life," the letter read, according to the Associated Press.

In August of that year, The Sunday Mirror published an explosive paparazzi shot of Diana and Dodi embracing and kissing, all but confirming their relationship.

In response, Fisher hired celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred to represent her in her lawsuit against Dodi, in which she filed a breach-of-contract suit claiming that Dodi asked Fisher—whose modeling career had thus far landed her covers on Elle, W, and other magazines—toput her career on hold in order to prioritize their relationship.

During an emotional press conference in which Fisher sobbed while wearing the sapphire and diamond ring Dodi bought her, Allred reportedly said that Dodi "led her emotionally all the way up to the altar and abandoned her when they were almost there. He threw her love away in a callous way with no regard for her whatsoever."

Allred also claimed that Fisher didn't learn about Dodi's infidelity with Diana until "the `kiss photo' that was published and circulated around the world to Miss Fisher's utter dismay, shock and shame."

Everything to Know About Dodi Fayed, Princess Diana's Boyfriend at the Time of Her Death (4)

Kelly Fisher during a press conference with Gloria Allred.

August 31, 1997: They get into a fatal car crash.

After enjoying an extended yachting holiday all along the Mediterranean Sea, the couple's trip ended when they arrived in Paris, France on August 30th. There, they spent the night at the Ritz, the hotel Mohammed, Dodi's father, owned.

Early in the morning on August 31st, BBC reported that the two departed the hotel in a car, along with driver Henri Paul and bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones. Paparazzi pursued their car as they drove into the Pont de L'Alma tunnel, at which point Paul—who was reportedly intoxicated and under the influence of drugs at the time—lost control of the vehicle and crashed.

Dodi and Paul died immediately upon impact, according to AP. A French doctor who happened upon the scene and offered his medical assistance recalled that Diana briefly regained consciousness, but she ultimately died from her injuries after being relocated to a Paris hospital. Rees-Jones was the only survivor.

Mohammed's spokesman would later claim that Dodi and Diana were engaged at the time of their deaths.

Everything to Know About Dodi Fayed, Princess Diana's Boyfriend at the Time of Her Death (5)

Chelsey Sanchez

Digital Associate Editor

As an associate editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey keeps a finger on the pulse on all things celeb news. She also writes on social movements, connecting with activists leading the fight on workers' rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, she’s probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying yet another corset.

Everything to Know About Dodi Fayed, Princess Diana's Boyfriend at the Time of Her Death (2024)

FAQs

How long did Diana know Dodi before she died? ›

Dodi and the Princess of Wales had been dating for only a few months—and had spent only a handful of days together—before their untimely deaths. Despite the relationship's newness, there was much media and public interest in the couple, and speculation about their future plans.

Did Dodi Fayed really love Diana? ›

During the summer of 1997, Diana and Dodi had a brief love affair before their untimely deaths.

How much older was Dodi Fayed than Diana? ›

August 31, 1997: Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed are killed in Paris car crash. Diana, 36, and Fayed, 42, flew to Paris in August 1997 where they stayed at the Ritz Paris' Imperial Suite.

How many kids did Dodi Fayed have? ›

No, Dodi Fayed did not have children at the time of his death at age 42. He was married briefly in his 20s to model Suzanne Gregard, but they split after eight months and had no kids. Dodi's early death prevented him from having a chance to start a family with Diana or any other future partner.

Did Diana want to marry Dodi? ›

Two recalled Diana dismissing tabloid claims that she and Dodi would soon be engaged, both times saying, “I need another marriage like I need a rash on my face.” She told several of them she was having a fun summer but looked forward to getting back to London, to work and to her children.

Did Mohamed al-Fayed go to Diana's funeral? ›

While he was openly critical of the royal family after the crash, Al-Fayed did attend Princess Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey in 1997, alongside his wife, Heini Wathen. His son Dodi had been buried at an earlier date at Barrow Green Court, Surrey – a house which Al-Fayed owned.

Did Dodi Fayed's father push him to marry Diana? ›

"The Crown" suggests that Dodi's father, the former owner of Harrods, orchestrated their whole relationship and pressured Dodi to pop the question. Mohamed, who died at the age of 94 in August, firmly believed that his son and Diana were engaged before they died and were planning to announce it on September 1, 1997.

What were Diana's last words? ›

Sergeant Xavier Gourmelon, a firefighter, who was on the scene, said Princess Diana's last words were "My God, what's happened?" When Princess Diana was extracted from the wreckage of the car, she went into cardiac arrest. First responders performed CPR, and got her into a hospital.

Who did Dodi Fayed marry? ›

Was Dodi Al Fayed engaged when he met Diana? ›

Kelly and Dodi met in Paris in 1996, and Kelly said they were engaged when Dodi started seeing Princess Diana in July 1997. In early August 1997, Kelly, represented by Gloria Allred, sued Dodi, alleging they were set to be married August 9.

Where is Dodi Fayed's fiance now? ›

So Where Is Kelly Fisher Now? Kelly married a Russian pilot named Mikhail Movshina in 2007, and these days they live in in South Carolina with their daughter, where Kelly works as a property developer, per The Sun. She lives her life privately and is no longer in the public eye, so that's that on that!

How much older is Charles than Diana? ›

Born in 1948, Charles was nearly 13 years older than Diana. But even still, when he later recalled that day, he admitted Diana made a big impression on him.

How many wives did Fayed have? ›

Al-Fayed fathered five children. His eldest son was Dodi Fayed who he shared with first wife, Saudi Arabian journalist Samira Khashoggi. He also shared four children with second wife, Heini Al-Fayed: Camilla, Omar, Jasmine and Karim.

Did William go missing after Diana died? ›

Another inconsistency he noted was that Prince William did not go missing for 14 hours at Balmoral Castle after learning of his mother's death. Although, he did say that the princes did go for walks after Diana's death to deal with their grief.

Does Al Fayed have children? ›

He worked with his brother-in-law, Saudi Arabian arms dealer and businessman Adnan Khashoggi. In 1985, Fayed married the Finnish socialite and former model Heini Wathén, with whom he had four children: daughters Jasmine (born 1980) and Camilla (born 1985), and sons Karim (born 1983) and Omar (born 1987).

How long did Diana and Dodi know each other? ›

Princess Diana was dating film producer Dodi Fayed before they were killed in a car crash in 1997. The couple met in 1986 but they wouldn't start dating until more than a decade later. Their relationship was fleeting with a tragic end.

When did Diana start relationship with Dodi? ›

Diana, who was divorced from then-Prince Charles and had just ended a two-year relationship with surgeon Hasnat Khan, was going into the summer as a single woman when she was romantically linked to Dodi, an Egyptian filmmaker, in July 1997.

What were Diana's last words before she died? ›

Sergeant Xavier Gourmelon, a firefighter, who was on the scene, said Princess Diana's last words were "My God, what's happened?" When Princess Diana was extracted from the wreckage of the car, she went into cardiac arrest.

When did Diana fall asleep? ›

Princess Diana falls asleep during an appearance in 1981, which gave her the nickname of “Sleeping Beauty”. She would announce her pregnancy with Prince William shortly after.

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