Latest news with #Diana
Telegraph
7 hours ago
- General
- Telegraph
Fayed ‘bought Diana's old school to groom and rape girls'
Mohamed al-Fayed raped and sexually assaulted girls at Princess Diana's old boarding school, it has been claimed. A former teacher has alleged the former Harrods owner bought West Heath School in Sevenoaks, Kent as a way of grooming young pupils. Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94, is said to have raped a girl, caused the suicide of another and fathered a baby with an under-age pupil, according to another former staff member at West Heath. The tycoon purchased Diana's old school for £2,300,000 in May 1998, almost a year after she died in a car crash in Paris alongside his son, Dodi, with whom she had been having a relationship. Fayed, who also owned Fulham FC, said at the time that he wanted to protect the school where the Princess said she had enjoyed some of the happiest times of her life. But a former teacher has now alleged that Fayed used his ownership of the independent school as an opportunity to meet young girls and invite them to his home and workplace to exploit them. James (not his real name), told The Sun: 'Fayed would come to the school sometimes and it would be the big Mohamed show, like when he came with celebrities. He brought Madonna in 2010. 'But there were other times when he'd come to just stroll in alone and start talking to the girls. 'I always thought it was creepy and odd. I know that's easy to say in hindsight, but I did. 'No one seemed to stop him because he'd saved the school from closing. He was free to wander around and do whatever he liked. 'I never thought that was right. I thought the headmistress should have been walking round with him, but she might not even have realised that he was there.' A woman who worked at the school has claimed one pupil at West Heath, which was an all-girls boarding school when the Princess attended, but now caters for both girls and boys whose mainstream education has broken down, told her of an attack by Fayed. The woman, named only as Jessica, told Alison Kervin, the author of a new book about Fayed: 'I couldn't get her to go to the police, and she refused to tell anyone at the school but me. I guess that because I wasn't part of the teaching staff, she felt safer telling me. She was nervous and crying. 'Fayed had invited her to Harrods and attacked her in the boardroom. He didn't manage to rape her, but he tore her clothes and he hurt her. She kicked him and he slapped her and called her an ungrateful animal. 'He said that he would pull the money out of the school and close it down if she said anything. She was terrified. She felt like she was to blame, and nothing I said would calm her down.' Jessica alleges she has also been made aware of other girls who were attacked by Fayed and at least one who was raped. She has reported her findings to her lawyers and plans to contact the Harrods Survivors support group on their behalf. 'When I spoke to lawyers, they put me on to some lawyers working with a lot of the victims, and they were already aware of the claims. They said they had been contacted by girls at the school and by the relatives of one girl who had committed suicide,' she told Kervin, the author of The Monster of Harrods. Jessica added: 'The family are convinced it was because of what she went through with Fayed. I know they are also investigating that he fathered a love child with an under-age girl.' More than 100 women accuse tycoon More than 100 alleged victims have contacted police to say they were sexually abused by the tycoon. The youngest is thought to have been 13 at the time. A number of allegations were made against Fayed while he was still alive. Investigators twice sent files for a charging decision to the Crown Prosecution Service – in 2008 relating to three victims and in 2015 linked to one other. On another three occasions – in 2018, 2021 and 2023 – the CPS was asked for what is called early investigative advice, but the matters were not pursued further by police. Asked if he suspected Fayed was trying to recruit girls at West Heath, James said: 'There's no question that he was. I know he told girls he could get them jobs and he'd give them things from Harrods. 'He invited a couple of the girls to his house. I spoke to another teacher and we went to talk to a senior member of staff about it. They said that it was fine and we shouldn't worry, but it wasn't fine. 'He shouldn't have been there. Benefactor or not, a man of that age should not be mixing with young girls, offering them lifts in his Rolls-Royce and buying them presents before inviting them to his house.' The teacher said that when details of Fayed's predatory behaviour first emerged he 'literally punched the wall in anger and frustration', adding: 'I should have done more.' West Heath School says on its website that it is sponsored by the Alfayed Charitable Foundation. This is overseen by Fayed's widow Heini Wathen-Fayed, his son Omar and daughter Camilla. The school describes itself as 'a living memorial to the life and work of its most famous former pupil Diana, Princess of Wales, who spent many happy days here'. In a statement, it said: 'We have no further information other than what is currently in the news. We do not tolerate abuse or harassment in any form.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Prince Harry Was Reportedly Left 'Disappointed' By Princess Diana's Sisters' Perception Of Meghan Markle
Prince Harry never got to introduce Meghan Markle to his mother, Princess Diana, but he believes she would've loved Meghan. However, Diana's siblings, especially Earl Spencer, were said to be cautious and advised the Duke of Sussex not to rush the marriage, which reportedly caused tension. According to a book by royal author Tom Bower, Prince Harry was also left "disappointed" with Princess Diana's sisters' reaction to Meghan Markle. Harry's introduction of Meghan to his mother's side of the family reportedly didn't go as he had planned. Without the chance to seek his late mother's blessing, the Duke of Sussex turned to his maternal aunts in 2017 to introduce them to the former actress. Diana, remembered for her warmth and compassion, was especially close to her younger brother Charles Spencer, though she also shared a bond with her two older sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes. In an interview with the BBC, Harry expressed his belief that Diana would have been "over the moon" about his relationship with Meghan. He said, "I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, so excited for me, but then, as I said, she would have probably been best friends – best friends with Meghan." Despite Harry's hopes, it's been suggested that not all of Diana's sisters shared the same enthusiasm about his marriage. In his revealing book "Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War Between the Windsors," royal biographer Tom Bower detailed a tense meeting between the prince and members of Diana's family. According to Bower, "Harry assumed that Diana's family and friends would see a similarity between Diana and his fiancée." However, Harry was reportedly "so disappointed" when Diana's family disagreed. "No one agreed that his vulnerable mother had anything in common with his girlfriend," Bower noted, per the Daily Mail. "More discomforting for him, they thought Meghan would not fit in with the Royal Family." Though Diana's sisters didn't directly challenge the relationship, it was her brother, Charles, who voiced concerns. Drawing from his own experiences, the Earl of Spencer advised Harry to avoid rushing into marriage. "His advice provoked a bitter reaction," Bower wrote. "This was going to be really hard, Harry would later reflect on establishing Meghan's place in the family." Despite skepticism from some family members, Harry has remained steadfast in comparing Meghan to his late mother. In the 2022 Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan," he shared, "So much of what Meghan is and how she is, is so similar to my mum." "She has the same compassion, the same empathy, the same confidence. She has this warmth about her," Harry added, per reports. During their 2017 engagement interview, Meghan reflected on meeting Diana's sisters, saying: "I think in being able to meet his aunts, I'm able to, in some way, know a part of her through them and of course through him. And it's - it's incredibly special." In 2019, Harry's aunt, Lady Fellowes, was among the very first to visit and meet baby Archie, arriving even before senior royals like the then-Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Prince William, and Kate Middleton. Despite Harry and William no longer on speaking terms, their aunts and uncles have remained present in both their lives, showing up for key milestones. All three women, Lady McCorquodale, Lady Fellowes, and Earl Spencer, attended the brothers' weddings and were among the select guests at Archie's christening in 2019. Earl Spencer has also publicly stood by Harry, voicing his support during the prince's legal battles. Most recently, Lady Jane and Earl Spencer were seen backing Harry at his Invictus event at St. Paul's Cathedral. However, to long-time royal observers, Harry's growing closeness to his mother's side of the family feels inevitable, given his strained ties with the royal household. Tensions between the Spencers and the Windsors trace back to Diana's tumultuous time in the monarchy. The rift became unmistakably public at Diana's 1997 funeral, when her brother, Earl Spencer, delivered a powerful eulogy. While honoring his sister, he criticized both the media and the royal family, promising to help raise William and Harry outside the confines of rigid tradition. Accrording to the Daily Mail, the Earl said: "Beyond that, on behalf of your mother and sisters, I pledge that we, your blood family, will do all we can to continue the imaginative way in which you were steering these two exceptional young men so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition but can sing openly as you planned."
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
How sick Mohamed Fayed bought Princess Di's old school to ‘groom & rape underage girls' in Savile-style sex abuse scheme
In an exclusive extract from The Monster Of Harrods, author Alison Kervin tells how the monster Harrods boss targeted school kids and young women at Fulham FC PREDATOR Mohamed Fayed raped and sexually assaulted girls at Princess Diana's old boarding school, a new book alleges. A former teacher tells how the ex-Harrods owner bought West Heath School in Sevenoaks, Kent, then used it to groom pupils. 6 The Monster Of Harrods claims ex-Harrods owner Mohamed Fayed bought Princess Diana's boarding school to rape and sexually assault girls Credit: Getty 6 When all the information about Fayed's sex crimes came out after his death, a former teacher at West Heath School said he 'punched the wall' and wished he done more Credit: Alamy One-time Fulham FC proprietor Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94, is said to have raped a girl, caused the suicide of another and fathered a baby with an under-age pupil. Here, in an exclusive extract from The Monster Of Harrods, author Alison Kervin tells how depraved Fayed targeted school children as well as young women at Fulham FC. MOHAMED FAYED bought the Princess of Wales's old school in May 1998, almost a year after her death in Paris. His rationale was to protect the place where Diana had enjoyed herself (she had described it as the happiest time of her life). James (not his real name), a former teacher at the school, says: 'Fayed would come to the school sometimes and it would be the big Mohamed show, like when he came with celebrities (he brought Madonna in 2010). 'But there were other times when he'd come to just stroll in alone and start talking to the girls. 'I always thought it was creepy and odd. I know that's easy to say in hindsight, but I did. 'No one seemed to stop him because he'd saved the school from closing. He was free to wander around and do whatever he liked. 'I never thought that was right. 'I thought the head-mistress should have been walking round with him, but she might not even have realised that he was there. 'I'm haunted by what I saw' Al Fayed's security chief sheds new light on vile abuse of female staff 'He seemed to be able to turn up unannounced. Even parents aren't allowed to walk in and walk around.' I ask James whether he suspected that Fayed was trying to recruit girls. 'There's no question that he was. I know he told girls he could get them jobs and he'd give them things from Harrods. 'He invited a couple of the girls to his house. I spoke to another teacher and we went to talk to a senior member of staff about it. They said that it was fine and we shouldn't worry, but it wasn't fine. 'I knew it wasn't. I carried on worrying about it. 'He shouldn't have been there. Benefactor or not, a man of that age should not be mixing with young girls, offering them lifts in his Rolls-Royce and chauffeur-driven limo, and buying them presents before inviting them to his house. How is any of that appropriate?' 'She was terrified' When all the damning information about Fayed's sex crimes came out after his death, James says he 'literally punched the wall in anger and frustration', adding: 'I should have done more.' James put me in touch with a woman who worked at the school, but not as a teacher. Jessica (not her real name) says she knows of a girl who was abused by Fayed while attending West Heath School. Jessica tells me: 'I couldn't get her to go to the police, and she refused to tell anyone at the school but me. 'I guess that because I wasn't part of the teaching staff, she felt safer telling me. She was nervous and crying. 'Fayed had invited her to Harrods and attacked her in the boardroom. 'He didn't manage to rape her, but he tore her clothes and he hurt her. She kicked him and he slapped her and called her an ungrateful animal. 'He said that he would pull the money out of the school and close it down if she said anything. 'He told her that her parents would be told about how she had behaved and all the school would know that she was the one who had closed the school down. She was terrified — she felt like she was to blame, and nothing I said would calm her down.' 6 Mohamed Fayed would turn up at the school with celebrities, like Madonna in 2010 Credit: Alamy 6 Diana as a schoolgirl in 1970 Credit: PA:Press Association Jessica says that she has been made aware of other girls who were attacked by Fayed and at least one who was raped. She reported her findings to her lawyers and plans to contact the Harrods Survivors support group on their behalf. 'When I spoke to lawyers, they put me on to some lawyers working with a lot of the victims, and they were already aware of the claims. They said they had been contacted by girls at the school and by the relatives of one girl who had committed suicide. 'The family are convinced it was because of what she went through with Fayed. I know they are also investigating that he fathered a love child with an under-age girl. I don't know any more details. 'I don't work at the school any more, and I'm glad Fayed is dead.' In a statement, West Heath School said: 'We do not tolerate abuse or harassment in any form.' On May 29, 1997, Fayed stood in the middle of the pitch at his newly purchased trophy, Fulham Football Club, wrapped in the team's scarf, and announced: 'I have a football club.' Amanda (not her real name) was on the fringes of the Fulham women's team and keen to become the best player she could be. 'Women's football was growing,' she says, 'and Fayed had become a bit of a hero by setting up the first professional women's side.' Fayed invited [a schoolgirl ] to Harrods and attacked her. He didn't manage to rape her, but he tore her clothes and he hurt her. He said he'd pull money out of the school if she said anything Amanda was still at school while training at Craven Cottage. She says she told her mum that Fayed would be visiting the training ground and her mum said: 'Be nice to him — make sure you stand out from the crowd.' When Fayed walked in, Amanda says that the place went quiet and everyone stopped what they were doing. She was nervous but remembered her mum's words, so she bounded up to him, put out her hand to shake his hand, and said, 'Hello, I'm Amanda and I'm hoping to get into the first team soon.' Little did she know that this was manna from heaven for Fayed — a pretty young woman who wanted something that he could get for her. 'Ran for the door' 'He came over to me later and invited me to come to his apartment to discuss my role at Fulham and whether he could help me to make it into the first team. 'I was so excited. He told me that someone from the club would drive me in, and he'd make sure I got home safely. 'When I got to his apartment he didn't even mention football. All he wanted to know was whether I had a boyfriend, had I lost my virginity, had I ever kissed a man? 'He was sitting right next to me and had his hand on my thigh, stroking my leg as we talked. 'He said I had good legs and they'd be perfect for football. He asked me to show them to him.' He [Fayed] asked me to bend over, and he told me to take my knickers off. I realised that was all wrong and ran for the door Amanda was wearing her tracksuit and had no desire to remove the trousers. She remembers she felt awkward and confused. 'I can get you a place in the team,' Fayed told her. 'I own the club, I can do whatever I like. 'I need to see your legs to see whether they're strong enough.' Amanda took down her tracksuit trousers and says that Fayed then became like an animal, reaching out to try to touch her. 'He asked me to bend over, and he told me to take my knickers off. I realised that was all wrong and ran for the door, but my tracksuit bottoms were round my ankles and I was struggling to pull them up while running. 'I got to the door and it was locked. I banged and banged on it with all my might. I'd just about got my trousers pulled up when I heard a voice on the other side, so I screamed and kicked at the door. 'I was sure Fayed was going to come running after me but he stayed in his seat, laughing at me. The door opened and I ran out. 'I didn't stay in football long after that . . . it didn't hold anything like the same joy for me. 'I stopped going to training and slowly drifted away from the club.' 6 One-time Fulham FC proprietor Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94 Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd Amanda says of reporting the incident to the police: 'I tried, but they weren't really interested, so I left the police station.' Three of the Fulham players I have interviewed also went to the police to report Fayed, but nothing ever happened. One other story that arose after I talked to players at Fulham concerns Kevin Keegan, the former Liverpool, Hamburg and England star, who was brought in to coach the Fulham men's team. Keegan left Fulham when he became England manager in 1999, citing the difficulties of coaching club and country at the same time. Fayed said he would let Keegan go because he was a patriot. 'I've given you my Keegan,' he quipped at the time, 'Now can I have my British passport?' But there are stories that the situation was much more complicated than that. Apparently Fayed and Keegan fell out because the fax machine that Fayed had given to Keegan for home use when he started at the club had stopped working. Rather than call the club, Keegan went to a local repair centre, where a bugging device was found in the machine. Once Keegan realised that Fayed possessed the ability to listen in on everything he and others said within the safety of his home, he decided to quit. Keegan could not be reached for comment. The Monster Of Harrods: Al-Fayed And The Secret, Shameful History Of A British Institution, by Alison Kervin (Harper Collins), is on sale on Thursday.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Prince Harry left 'disappointed' by Princess Diana sisters' reaction to Meghan Markle
Prince Harry introduced his then-girlfriend Meghan Markle to his two aunts, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes - but was left disappointed by their reaction. Prince Harry was reportedly "was so disappointed" when he introduced Meghan Markle to Princess Diana's two sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes. The Duke of Sussex had hoped his mother's siblings would see similarities between Diana and Meghan, believing that Diana would have been "over the moon" about his relationship with Meghan. However, he was disheartened by their reaction. The sisters allegedly did not see the same character traits in Meghan as they did in Diana, causing further upset for Harry, now 40, as they expressed their belief that Meghan "thought Meghan would not fit in with the Royal Family." Despite this, Harry went on to marry Meghan in 2018, and the couple now have two children together, reports the Mirror. These revelations are detailed in the book Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War Between the Windsors, penned by Royal biographer Tom Bower. He wrote: "Harry assumed that Diana's family and friends would see a similarity between Diana and his fiancée. Both, he said, shared the same problems. He was so disappointed." Bower continued: "No one agreed that his vulnerable mother had anything in common with his girlfriend. More discomforting for him, they thought Meghan would not fit in with the Royal Family." However, the Duke of Sussex stood firm and in 2022, he drew parallels between Meghan and Diana in his Netflix docuseries. As reported by the Express, the prince stated: "So much of what Meghan is and how she is, is so similar to my mum. She has the same compassion, the same empathy, the same confidence. She has this warmth about her." Meghan has had a challenging week, making headlines for all the wrong reasons as she missed out on gracing the cover of fashion powerhouse Vogue. Allegedly, the 43 year old mother made a series of extravagant demands, leading the magazine to withdraw the offer. In other news, journalist and commentator Esther Krakue criticised the mother of two, suggesting that Meghan should embrace her status as an attractive woman who married a prince, rather than attempting to position herself as a thought leader with a "particularly niche view of the world." Appearing on The Sun's Royal Exclusive show, Krakue discussed Meghan's recent appearance on The Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast, where the Duchess of Sussex confessed she wouldn't know what to include on a CV. Krakue bluntly remarked: "She's also never had to write a resume, let's be honest." Krakue continued to critique Meghan's efforts to advocate for complex social issues, stating: "The lens through which she views the world is very peculiar."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Widower backs life sentences for cyclists who kill
A widower who has led an eight-year campaign for a change in road safety laws has welcomed proposals that could result in life sentences for death by dangerous cycling. Peter Walker's wife Diana, 76, was on her way home from a shop in May 2016 when she was hit by a cyclist in Pewsey, Wiltshire. She died in hospital on the following day. After campaigning with other bereaved families, Mr Walker, 88, said his "dearest wish" was to spare others from going through the same. The new laws - which could lead to cyclists who kill pedestrians facing life imprisonment - have been at committee stage and the Department for Transport (DfT) said they will be debated "in due course". Mr and Mrs Walker had only recently moved into a retirement home and he had been expecting to spend many more years with his wife, who he said was a "very fit person" and a "wonderful mother". Not only a loss to the family, he said she had been very active in the community too. Mr Walker said she died the day after the incident because she was being kept on life support for organ donation. "I don't want anybody to go through what I've had to go through," he said. More news stories for Wiltshire Listen to the latest news for Wiltshire Mr Walker welcomed the proposed law changes but said that "having to wait nearly nine years for something to happen is an absolute disgrace". "It was just to make certain that the police fully investigated an accident on the highway where a cyclist killed a pedestrian," he added. Similar changes drafted by the previous Conservative government were dropped when Parliamentary business was halted following the announcement of the general election in July 2024. Proposed changes to the Crime and Policing Bill mean a cyclist found guilty of killing a pedestrian could face a life sentence, while those who injure walkers could go to jail for five years. The changes would also mean serious injury caused by dangerous cycling - or death by careless or inconsiderate cycling - could incur punishments of five years in jail, fines, or both. A serious injury caused by careless or inconsiderate cycling would result in a two-year sentence, a fine, or both, under the proposals. A DfT spokesperson said: "Dangerous cycling is completely unacceptable. "The Government is proposing new offences and penalties for dangerous cycling, updating legislation that is over 160 years old, to ensure that the tiny minority who recklessly disregard others face the full force of the law." The government has estimated that four deaths on UK roads last year were caused by cyclists. "The way Wiltshire Police treated Diana's death was horrifying and it's a huge relief that police will now have to treat cycling collisions as a proper highways accident," Mr Walker said. Wiltshire Police said extensive enquires were carried out when Mrs Walker died, but an investigation concluded her death was not an unlawful killing and no action was taken against the cyclist. However, following concerns raised by the coroner at her inquest, the force said crash investigators would be sent to all serious accidents involving cyclists in future. Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Man whose wife died in cycle crash 'wins battle' Widower upset at delays over cyclist law changes Husband seeks law change over fatal bike crashes Police probes to follow fatal cycle crash Cyclists who kill could face life sentence Department for Transport Wiltshire Police
