Inside Dodi Fayed’s property portfolio including £20m Malibu pad promised to Princess Diana with unlikely Arsenal link
DODI Al-Fayed was the son of a billionaire – and stayed in palatial properties to match.
The late Egyptian film producer, who worked on mega-hit Chariots of Fire, dated Princess Diana before they both died in a high-speed car crash in Paris in 1997.
Tonight his life will be re-examined in new Channel 5 documentary Dodi: Last Days Of A Playboy, which follows renewed interest in him after The Crown.
He was the eldest son of Mohammed Al-Fayed, who’s worth £1.65bn, and in exchange for helping him with business affairs he was given a generous allowance – reportedly between £100,000 and £400,000 per month.
It allowed Dodi a life of luxury unimaginable to many, and access to some of the finest properties.
Here we delve into the Al-Fayed property portfolio – several of which played a role during his romance with Diana.
£70m St Tropez ‘love nest’
Castle St Therese was the palatial estate on the French Riviera where the couple’s romance flourished.
They stayed at the 30-bed property, owned by Dodi’s dad, at least twice – including days before the fatal crash.
Nestled in the private community of Les Parc De St Tropez, the main villa has nine bedrooms, five of which are en suite, and multiple large reception rooms.
It’s kitted out with two kitchens, a children’s playroom, a swimming pool and terraces with stunning views and lavish features, including a jacuzzi with golden swan-shaped taps.
There’s also a waterfront beach house with nine bedrooms, an indoor pool and two outdoor pools that overlook the bay.
In addition, there’s a boathouse large enough to fit a speedboat, a roof terrace that doubles up as a helipad, and a jetty where the Al Fayed’s yacht was often moored.
The compound also hosts a four-bedroom guesthouse, where Diana and Princes William and Harry were thought to have stayed.
There’s also a security lodge on site, as well as a tennis court and accommodation for staff.
Castle St Therese was built in the 1860s for Ferdinand de Lesseps, who developed the Suez Canal, before it was added to the Al-Fayed portfolio.
In 2015 the elaborate estate was put up for sale at £70million with estate agents Knight Frank and at the time, boasted famous neighbours including Louis Vuitton owner Bernard Arnault. It’s not known who bought it.
£8m super-yacht
During their trips to St Tropez, Dodi and Diana set sail on a multi-million dollar superyacht.
The luxury 2008-foot vessel was then named Jonikal while owned by Mohammed Al-Fayed but has since changed hands.
Currently it can house up to 18 people across nine staterooms and also has room for 26 crew members.
Its interior is decked in timeless dark wood and has features including a jacuzzi, a swim platform, a sun deck, a formal dining area, a saloon, bar and office space.
The vessel, now known as Bash, was last listed for $10million (£8.24m) and was purchased by the entrepreneur Bassim Haidar in 2021.
Diana & Dodi’s ‘future home’ before tragedy
Before their deaths in 1997, Dodi and Diana had planned to relocate to this beachside mansion in Malibu, Florida.
He bought the six-bed home, nestled on five aces, for $7.3m (£6m) from a Floridian investor, according to the .
It was described as a “9,000-square-foot Tuscan villa” with access to a sandy beach called Paradise Cove via a staircase, and overlooked the ocean.
The plush pad – previously the home of Julie Andrews – also had a tennis court, swimming pool and walled sculpture studio.
Now it sits within the property portfolio of multibillionaire Stan Kroenke, who owns Arsenal and the Los Angeles Rams.
He reportedly bought the mansion for around £8m in 1998, and it boasts features including a glass-domed dining room with views on all sides and a guest house.
Neighbours include pop star Lady Gaga, Friends actress Courteney Cox, U2 guitarist The Edge – real name David Howell Evans – and former supermodel Cindy Crawford.
‘Unchanged’ London flat
Before his death, Dodi spent considerable time in a Park Lane flat in Central London, which has remained unchanged since his passing.
Mohammed Al-Fayed has turned it into a shrine to his late son and his love story with Diana.
Inside a portrait of Diana hangs on one wall, and another holds VHS tapes – a touching tribute to the base where the romance flourished.
Dodi and Diana reportedly used to enjoy eating takeaways on the floor and watching films.
Previously a friend told The Sun: “Not one thing inside has changed since Dodi died. He will not allow anyone to move anything.
“The apartment is cleaned but it is still exactly the same as when Dodi and Diana used to spend time there.”