Charles Spencer's memoir says Princess Diana told him Mohamed Al Fayed allegedly groped her early in her relationship with Dodi Fayed. The claim features among other critical passages about the royal family that prompted a palace response. Media reporting and investigations have since generated more than 400 allegations linked to Al Fayed and associates, with the Metropolitan Police handling at least 159 direct complainants.
Diana Told Brother Mohamed Al Fayed ‘Groped’ Her, Charles Spencer’s New Memoir Claims
FILE PHOTO: Then Harrod's owner Mohamed Al Fayed doning a Victorian emerald and diamond tiara, reduced from 78,000 to 58,500, after Welsh singer Charlotte Church opened the Knightsbridge store's January sale in London. The former Harrods and Fulham FC owner Mohamed Al Fayed who has died at 94, the west London football club confirmed. (is associated with: «Reports: Diana told her brother that Mohamed Al Fayed groped her») William Conran/PA Wire/dpa
Summary: In his new memoir, Charles Spencer recounts that Princess Diana told him Mohamed Al Fayed — the father of her then‑boyfriend Dodi Fayed — allegedly groped her early in their relationship. The claim appears amid broader, critical passages about the royal family that prompted an official palace response.
Spencer's book includes several sharply worded observations about the royal household and personal recollections from Diana's life. The palace responded to the memoir by warning that "the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason," signalling its concern over some of Spencer's portrayals.
According to extracts published by the Mail Online, Spencer recounts that Diana "told me with revulsion how, early in her romance with Dodi, Mohamed had come up to her, dropped a hand onto her buttocks and squeezed them while saying in a leery, suggestive tone, 'And in Egypt, father‑in‑law gets first go…'"
"She (Diana) told me with revulsion how, early in her romance with Dodi, Mohamed had come up to her, dropped a hand onto her buttocks and squeezed them while saying in a leery, suggestive tone, 'And in Egypt, father‑in‑law gets first go…'" — Charles Spencer (as reported by Mail Online)
Separately, Spencer says he had initially planned to name Dodi Fayed in an early draft of his eulogy for Diana's funeral — thanking him "by name for making Diana happy in her last few weeks" — but that he removed the reference before delivering the speech.
Background: Wider Allegations and Investigations
The memoir's revelations arrive against the backdrop of broader investigations and reporting into allegations linked to Mohamed Al Fayed. A BBC documentary aired two years ago examined accusations of rape and sexual abuse involving Al Fayed, and subsequent reporting and complaints have expanded the scope of the allegations.
To date, media reports say more than 400 complaints have been made alleging sexual misconduct tied to Al Fayed and others connected to him, covering incidents said to have occurred between 1977 and 2014. Allegations include sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
The Metropolitan Police have reported that at least 159 people have contacted them directly about these matters; that figure includes 21 individuals who came forward before Mohamed Al Fayed's death in 2023 at the age of 94. As with all such claims, many of these allegations are subject to active investigation and legal processes.
Note: This article reports allegations as described in Spencer's memoir and in media coverage. Allegations are claims unless proven in court, and Mohamed Al Fayed died in 2023.
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