Mohamed Al Fayed made an “indecent proposal” to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, his former butler Paul Burrell has revealed.
The disgraced former Harrods owner is said to have told Diana he wanted to sleep with her, leaving her “shivering” with disgust, it was reported today.
Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris with Al Fayed’s son Dodi in August 1997, nicknamed the older man “disgusting” and also “Yoda,” after the Star Wars character, Burrell said.
The former butler. who worked for Diana between 1987 and 1997, said she was “disgusted” by Al Fayed’s behavior and said that, if she were still alive, she would support the women who now accuse the late tycoon of sexual assault.
A BBC investigation last week revealed that five former employees accused Al Fayed of raping them, and MailOnline revealed yesterday that a further 23 women came forward with allegations about him.
Mohamed Al Fayed, pictured with Princess Diana at a charity dinner at Harrods in February 1996, has been accused of making an “indecent proposal” to her
The late tycoon Mohamed Al Fayed (right) appears here with the then Prince Charles and Princess Diana at a polo event sponsored by Harrods in Windsor, Berkshire, in July 1987.
Princess Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell has been speaking about how she was left “shaking” after Al Fayed’s comments towards her.
The Egyptian-born businessman, who died in London aged 94 in August last year, is alleged to have carried out the attacks during his tenure in charge of the establishment between 1984 and its sale in 2010.
The corporation says more than 20 former Harrods workers have come forward to accuse it of sexual abuse and presiding over a “culture of fear” at the department store.
Some of those involved claim they were forced to undergo invasive medical examinations in which they were tested for sexually transmitted diseases, with the results sent directly to Al Fayed himself.
Harrowing details of the allegations, including vivid descriptions of the alleged rapes committed by the women, were shown in a new program called Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods.
The current owners of the store have declared themselves “completely shocked” by the accusations and have apologized to the women affected.
The alleged attacks are said to have occurred not only in London, including his Mayfair apartment in the capital, but also in Paris, at the Ritz hotel he owns, in St Tropez in France and in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Now Burrell has shared details about what he says Diana told him about her encounters with Al Fayed, whom she met at a polo match sponsored by Harrods in 1986, when she was married to then-Prince Charles.
The former royal butler told the sun on sunday: ‘I was in the car when she ran out of his office shaking and told me, and these are her exact words, that he said: “I want you to marry my son because in Egyptian tradition, the father comes first.”
“He said, ‘I’m going to sleep with you.’ Then he said in shock, ‘Can you imagine making love to Yoda?’ That’s what she called him. I was disgusted by his behavior.
Mohamed Al Fayed, who died in August last year, has been accused in a new BBC investigation of raping and sexually assaulting female employees.
Former royal butler Paul Burrell says the late Princess Diana (pictured) called Mohamed Al Fayed ‘creepy’ and ‘slobbery’
Diana also compared Al Fayed to Star Wars character Yoda (pictured), according to Burrell.
‘Diana was repulsed by the idea of having to surrender to him. By making that comment, he was setting the stage for that encounter and he was serious.
“He thought he was entitled and that it would really happen: that he would really sleep with the Princess of Wales. And that was always on his mind throughout his whole romance with Dodi.
Burrell described how Al Fayed lavished Diana with gifts, including gadgets and computer games, which arrived at Kensington Palace only for her to return them.
He also allowed her to use a secret entrance to his Harrods store in Knightsbridge, west London.
Diana and film producer Dodi began dating after Al Fayed invited her and her sons William and Harry to his 30-room mansion in 1997.
The couple was photographed kissing that summer aboard the luxury yacht owned by Dodi’s father, the Jonikal.
Mr Burrell said last night: “We are all concentrating on Dodi and the princess.” But in reality, the puppeteer was Fayed.
‘What I wanted above all else was to be related to the Royal Family. Fayed bought the boat before that vacation so Dodi could entertain her privately.
“He spent millions trying to woo her and her son was just a pawn in his game.”
Princess Diana and Mohamed Al Fayed’s son Dodi are pictured in the French Riviera resort of St Tropez on August 22, 1997, nine days before they were both killed in a car crash in Paris.
Mohamed Al Fayed (right) with his son Dodi at a party for the movie Hook in 1992
Mohamed Al Fayed with the Queen in 1997. His business connections and charitable work led him to mix with high society despite his complaints about what he considered establishment bias.
Burrell also said he saw Al Fayed touching women inappropriately, adding: “His hands were wandering.” He would literally put his hands on women without asking.
‘With Diana, I couldn’t go too far. She always had the upper hand because he couldn’t afford to lose her. Unfortunately, most of the women who worked for him did not.
‘She said that Fayed always put his hands on her. People don’t touch members of the Royal Family, but I saw him caress her arm and stay too long, kiss her hand almost as if it were a pet and put his arm around her waist.
Burrell added: “I don’t think she was surprised by these accusations because she knew he was repellent to women.”
“If Princess Diana were here, she would have been with them, united, and said, ‘Well, it could have happened to me.’ It wasn’t like that. Thank God. But I will be with you all the time.” ‘
In the new BBC documentary, some women claim they were forced to undergo invasive medical examinations, in which they were tested for sexually transmitted diseases and the results were sent to Al Fayed himself.
The corporation said it heard testimony from 13 women who say they were sexually assaulted at Al Fayed’s property at 60 Park Lane in London, four of whom allege they were raped there.
Harrods began reaching settlements with women who came forward alleging they had been sexually abused by him in July last year.
Harrods said in a statement to the BBC: “The Harrods of today is a very different organization to the one Al Fayed owned and controlled between 1985 and 2010.
A BBC documentary says the Egyptian-born businessman, who died in London aged 94 in August last year, carried out attacks while he was boss of Harrods between 1984 and its sale in 2010.
The corporation says more than 20 former Harrods workers have come forward to accuse Al Fayed (pictured) of sexual abuse.
The current owners of the Harrods department store (pictured) in Knightsbridge, west London, have been settling claims brought by women who allege they were assaulted by Al Fayed.
‘It is one that seeks to put the well-being of our employees at the center of everything we do.
‘Since new information came to light in 2023 regarding historical allegations of sexual abuse by Al Fayed, our priority has been to resolve the claims as quickly as possible. This process is still available to any current or former Harrods employee.
“While we cannot undo the past, we are determined to do the right thing as an organization, driven by the values we hold today, while ensuring that such behavior is never repeated in the future.”
The Ritz hotel in Paris, formerly owned by Fayed, told the BBC that it “strongly condemns any form of behavior that does not align with the values of the establishment.”
Buckingham Palace has refused to comment on Burrell’s claims.