The Crown: Who was Dodi Al-Fayed's girlfriend before he dated Princess Diana?
The Crown season five has had fans glued to the screen ever since it landed on Netflix earlier this month. The series delves into the most significant events that took place in royal life during the 1990s, including Prince Charles and Diana's acrimonious divorce.
MORE: 8 stunning filming locations from The Crown you can visit - and most are free
After the couple split, Diana went on to date film producer Dodi Al Fayed, a relationship that is set up in the final episodes of the season. But when viewers first meet Dodi, he is dating someone else. Find out all about his girlfriend before Diana here…
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Who was Dodi Al-Fayed's girlfriend before he dated Princess Diana?
Dodi Al-Fayed dated American model Kelly Fisher prior to his relationship with Princess Diana.
Kelly, who is played by Erin Richards in the series, was apparently engaged to Dodi and living with him in their newly-purchased Malibu home when he met Diana.
The model discovered of her fiancé's relationship with the royal after The Sunday Mirror published photographs on 11 August 1997 of two figures believed to be Dodi and Diana embracing on a boat in the South of France.
MORE: The Crown: how did Princess Diana meet boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed?
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Days later, Kelly reportedly filed a lawsuit against Dodi for breach of contract. In an LA press conference, her lawyer, Gloria Allred, said: "We would like the Princess, who has suffered greatly in the past, to know of Ms. Fisher’s experiences with Mr. Fayed so that she can make an informed decision regarding her future and that of her children," adding that Kelly "loved, trusted, and believed in" Dodi.
Kelly Fisher dropped her lawsuit after Dodi was killed
"In return, he took her love and he gave every indication that they were going to get married and that he would fulfill all of his promises to her," she added.
Gloria told the Los Angeles Times that Dodi has proposed to her client in 1996 and that he had offered her $500,000 to "scale back" her modelling career so she could spend more time with him. However, in the lawsuit, she only received $60,000 and a check for $200,000 that bounced.
However, an article published by The Irish Times in August 1997 reported that "a spokesman for the Al Fayeds was quoted as saying that Dodi knew Ms Fisher but had never been engaged to her".
Dodi was romantically involved with Princess Diana at the time of their deaths
On 31 August 1997, Dodi and Diana were killed in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel. Shortly afterwards, Kelly dropped her lawsuit. Her lawyer said in a statement: "Kelly suffered greatly because of the break up with Mr, Fayed. She was engaged to him, and they had planned to marry Aug. 9, 1997. Kelly loved Dodi very much, and she is devastated by his loss, and that of Princess Diana.
"Nothing is more important than the life of a human being. In the light of this enormous tragedy, Kelly forgives Dodi for all of his past injustices against her."
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