Harrods, the renowned luxury department store in London, has declared it will not enforce non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) related to alleged historical sexual abuse by its former owner, Mohamed Fayed. This decision comes in the wake of accusations from over 100 women against Fayed, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 94.
The announcement follows a recent BBC documentary exposing Fayed's alleged attacks. Lawyers representing the accusers had urged Harrods to disclose the number of individuals bound by these legally binding contracts. The store's current ownership stated, "Harrods would not seek to enforce any NDAs that relate to alleged historical sexual abuse by Fayed that were entered into during the period of his, Fayed's, ownership."
Concurrently, new allegations have surfaced regarding Fayed's behavior towards Princess Diana. Paul Burrell, who served as Diana's butler for a decade, has shared disturbing claims about an encounter between Fayed and the Princess in 1995, two years before her tragic death.
According to Burrell's account, Fayed made an inappropriate proposal to Diana before her relationship with his son, Dodi, began. Burrell recounted Diana's words: "I want you to marry my son because in Egyptian tradition, the father goes first. I'm going to sleep with you." The former butler described Diana as "shaking" after the incident, referring to Fayed as a "creep" and "Yoda."
"I was in the car when she came running out from 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 goes first.'"
Burrell also claimed that Diana nicknamed Fayed "God" due to his ego and complained about his frequent physical contact. The initial meeting between Diana and Fayed reportedly occurred at a Harrods-sponsored polo match in the late 1980s, highlighting the intersection of British upper-class society and Fayed's business interests.
These revelations add a new dimension to the complex relationship between the Fayed family and Princess Diana. The Princess's romantic involvement with Dodi Fayed began in the summer of 1997, shortly before their untimely deaths in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997.
The allegations against Mohamed Fayed span decades and involve his ownership of various high-profile properties and businesses. Besides Harrods, which he owned from 1985 to 2010, Fayed also possessed Fulham Football Club and the Ritz Hotel in Paris. Despite his prominent status in British society, Fayed was repeatedly denied British citizenship.
As these new claims come to light, they contribute to the ongoing discussion about power dynamics, abuse, and the use of NDAs to silence victims. The decision by Harrods not to enforce these agreements marks a significant shift in addressing historical allegations and may encourage more individuals to come forward with their experiences.