Who are Dodi and Mohamed Al-Fayed in The Crown, and why do we spend an episode with them?

Mohamed Al-Fayed and Dodi Fayed
(Image credit: Netflix)

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Crown season 5, episode 3. So if you’ve not yet caught up with the Netflix royal drama, bookmark this story for later.

Mohamed Al-Fayed (Salim Daw) and Dodi Fayed (Khalid Abdalla) are the subjects of the third episode of the latest season of The Crown. 'Mou Mou' begins with a flashback to Egypt in 1946, where we see a young Al-Fayed develop his first fascination with the British Royal Family. 

The Crown depicts him as following this pursuit into his business ventures with his son, Dodi. He employs the Duke of Windsor’s former valet Sydney Johnson, renovates his dilapidated home, and becomes a sponsor of the Royal Windsor Horse Show – all seemingly done with the aim of impressing Queen Elizabeth II (Imelda Staunton). 

Meanwhile, Dodi is pursuing dreams of his own to become a film producer. We see him on the set of Chariots of Fire, which goes on to win Best Picture at the 1981 Oscars. In the episode’s final scene, Al-Fayed’s final ploy to meet with the Queen backfires as Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) is instead seated next to him. 'Mou Mou' ends with Diana being introduced to his son Dodi.

Given the episode is a departure from the stories of the Royal Family that the rest of the season focuses on, some viewers unfamiliar with the royal history may be unsure why the episode focused on the Fayed family. However, their relationship with Diana was an important one for the Princess of Wales.

Mohamed and Dodi in The Crown season 5

(Image credit: Netflix)

Diana had a close relationship with Mohamed and his son, Dodi, was her partner before her death. Diana, Dodi, and their driver Henri Paul were all killed in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris in August 1997.

Their relationship does not follow the exact format of how it develops in The Crown. It’s thought that Diana actually met Mohamed and Dodi during a 1986 polo match with Prince Charles. Although, per The Independent, not much is known about their initial meeting.

Dodi and Diana didn’t grow closer until 11 years later when the Princess of Wales went on holiday to St. Tropez with the Fayed family. Joined by her sons Prince William and Prince Harry, they traveled on Al-Fayed’s new luxury yacht the Jonkial.

After this, Dodi and Diana began a romantic relationship, weeks before their death. Their romance and Diana’s final weeks are due to be the main subject of The Crown season 6's opening episodes.

For more on Netflix drama, check out our guides to The Crown season 5 guest cast, returning The Crown cast in season 5, The Crown season 5 cast vs. the real Royal Family, and how many episodes there are in The Crown season 5. And if you’ve already watched it all, here’s our breakdown of The Crown season 5 ending.

Fay Watson
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.

Read more
Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland in The Night Agent season 2
The Night Agent season 2 ending explained: Who dies in the Netflix show? Will there be a season 3?
Mike, Eleven and Will in Stranger Things season 4 (2022)
Stranger Things season 5: Everything we know so far about the Netflix show's final chapter
Michael Gandolfini in the Daredevil: Born Again trailer
Who does Michael Gandolfini play in Daredevil: Born Again? Daniel Blake explained
Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again showrunners say shocking death scene of a fan-favorite character was in the scrapped version of the show, but it occurred off-screen
Yellowjackets
Who killed *spoiler* in Yellowjackets season 3? All our theories, explained
Daredevil: Born Again
Who killed [SPOILER] in Daredevil: Born Again episode 3?
Latest in Drama Shows
fool me once
Harlan Coben’s new novel is set to be "more of a sequel" to the hit Netflix series Fool Me Once: "I don’t know any time that’s ever happened"
Owen Cooper in Adolescence
Sorry, Adolescence season 2 isn't happening, despite its 99% Rotten Tomatoes score and record-breaking Netflix audience
Nick Offerman as Bill and Murray Bartlett as Frank in The Last of Us episode 3
The Last of Us season 2 showrunners tease a "gorgeous" episode akin to season 1’s Emmy-nominated Bill and Frank story: "Just you wait"
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last of Us
The Last of Us season 2 showrunners changed the way they introduce Abby so fans don’t get "spoiled in between seasons": "It felt appropriate to give viewers that context right off the bat"
Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel in The Last of Us
The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin praises Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal for "spectacular" take on one of Part 2's most iconic scenes in season 2
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last of Us
The Last of Us showrunner praises Abby actor's "physically tremendous" performance ahead of season 2: "We just haven't f**ked up in casting"
Latest in News
Final Fantasy 16 protagonist Clive uses magic in closeup screenshot
Despite fans begging for Tifa, Final Fantasy 16's Clive is "significantly more popular" than any other Tekken guest fighter
Spider-Man 4
There might be an obvious reason why Tom Holland's Spider-Man wasn't announced for Avengers: Doomsday
Patrick Stewart in X-Men
Marvel fans are already theorizing how Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and James Marsden's X-Men will be integrated into Avengers: Doomsday
Daredevil: Born Again episode 6
Daredevil's Charlie Cox isn't in the Avengers: Doomsday cast list – but Marvel fans have an idea about how he might still show up
Simu Liu in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Simu Liu had the best reaction to Shang-Chi’s announcement for Avengers: Doomsday, but fans think it's "criminal" there hasn’t been a direct sequel
Robert Downey Jr. during the Doctor Doom announcement at Marvel's SDCC 2024 panel
There may still be some big names missing from the Avengers: Doomsday cast list, but Marvel teases that "there's always room for more"