Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana were one of the most famous couples in the world at the time of their tragic deaths in 1997 — but the people’s princess wasn’t the only love Dodi knew in his life.
Before dating Diana, Dodi was in a relationship with American-born model Kelly Fisher. IN Crown season 5, Erin Richards stars as Kelly, with the Netflix drama featuring her romancing Dodi, much to the chagrin of his father, Mohamed Al-Fayed. Richards reprises his role in season 6 of the show, where he confronts Dodi as he continues his alleged affair with the princess.
In real life, most people didn’t know about Kelly and Dodi’s romance until it ended, mostly because it ended on a pretty sharp note.
So who is the woman who stole Dodi’s heart, however briefly, before he began a romance with the then Princess of Wales? Here’s everything you need to know about Kelly Fisher and her relationship with Dodi Fayed.
Kelly Fisher was a successful model
Steve Parsons – PA Images/PA Images
Kelly was born in Louisville, Kentucky, where she and her family lived for several years before moving to Toronto for her father’s job, she told Aiken woman.
She was discovered as a teenager in Toronto, and began modeling during the summer school holidays. After high school, Kelly attended college for two semesters before dropping out to focus on modeling full-time. Highlights of her modeling career include the cover Marie Claireas well as for brands including Armani, La Perla and Victoria’s Secret.
Kelly Fisher claimed she and Dodi Fayed were engaged when he and Princess Diana started dating
Kelly met Dodi Fayed in July 1996 while they were both in Paris and quickly bonded. Kelly later claimed that Dodi began a romance with Princess Diana just as quickly, and argued that there was significant overlap between her relationship with Dodi and his and Diana’s courtship. vanity fair reported that Kelly would be waiting for Dodi on one of his yachts while he would be cavorting with the Princess of Wales on another yacht.
Kelly reportedly did not know that Dodi was actually having an affair with Diana until The Sunday Mirror posted photos of the couple kissing. According to Kelly’s lawyer, Kelly and Dodi were set to marry on August 9, 1997 – and Dodi gave her a large sapphire and diamond engagement ring.
Dodi Fayed’s family has denied that he was ever engaged to Kelly Fisher
According to vanity fair, Dodi’s father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, blasted Kelly as a “whore” and a “gold digger.” In the report from The Irish Timesa spokesman for Dodi’s family denied that Kelly had ever proposed marriage, but admitted that Dodi knew her.
Kelly’s mother, Judith Dunaway, stood by the model, saying Dodi asked permission to marry Kelly in November 1996 when the couple attended Kelly’s sister’s wedding. Dunaway told reporters (via Los Angeles Times), “No one’s daughter deserves to be treated like my daughter. Kelly loved him, trusted him and he treated her very cruelly. Dodi Fayed should be ashamed of himself.”
Kelly Fisher sued Dodi Fayed for breaking off her engagement and relationship with Princess Diana
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KIM KULISH/AFP via Getty
Days after The Sunday Mirror published photos of Dodi and Diana, Kelly hired attorney Gloria Allred and sued Dodi for breach of contract, alleging that by leaving her for Princess Diana, he violated their prenuptial agreement. Kelly claimed in her lawsuit that Dodi offered her $500,000 to quit her modeling career and spend more time with him, but that he only gave her $60,000 and a $200,000 check that bounced; Kelly’s lawsuit sought the remaining $440,000 of the alleged balance, plus damages.
During a press conference in August 1997, Kelly tearfully watched Allred tell reporters, “Mr. Fayed needs to take responsibility for the woman he ‘left at the altar’ and treated with such utter disrespect. He rejected her love in a callous way without any regard for her.”
At the press conference, Kelly invited Princess Diana to meet her to discuss her romance with Dodi. The Princess of Wales never responded to the invitation. A representative of the Fayed family said at the time The Associated Press (over it Los Angeles Times), “We are content to leave it to the common sense of the British and Americans to judge this development for what it is.”
Kelly Fisher dropped her lawsuit against Dodi Fayed after his death
Just days after Kelly announced she was suing Dodi, Dodi and Princess Diana were killed in a car crash in Paris following a paparazzi chase – at which point Kelly and Allred dropped the lawsuit.
Allred said in a statement at the time: “Out of respect for the tragedy and the tremendous loss the Fayed family has suffered, she has authorized me as her attorney to dismiss her lawsuit against Mr. Fayed. Although she has the legal right to pursue litigation against his estate after his death , she voluntarily decided not to exercise that right.”
She continued in part: “Kelly loved Dodi dearly and is devastated by his loss, as well as the loss of Princess Diana. Nothing is more important than the life of a human being. In light of this tremendous tragedy, Kelly forgives Dodi for all his past wrongs towards her.”
Kelly Fisher did not go to Dodi Fayed’s funeral
Kelly did not attend Dodi’s funeral on September 1, 1997. Allred told the media that Kelly wanted to attend a memorial service for her ex, but that it “happened so quickly” that Kelly was unable to fly to London in time.
Phone recordings of Dodi Fayed and Kelly Fisher were released after his death
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Netflix
Kelly participated in the investigation into the death of Princess Diana, and in 2008 transcripts of heated phone conversations between Kelly and Dodi were released to the public. In interviews, she accuses Dodi of having a double affair with her and Princess Diana, saying: “You even drove me to St. Tropez to sit on a boat while you seduced Diana all day and fucked me all night.” She also told Dodi in one call: “You’re fucking crazy. We were together the whole time. And you knew it.”
According to the transcripts, Dodi repeatedly tried to end the conversation, calling Kelly “hysterical,” saying they had broken up while he was with Diana and accusing her of stealing his $50,000 car, which she denied.
Kelly Fisher married a pilot
In 2007, Kelly met pilot Mikhail Movshina while they were both on safari in the Central African Republic. She said Aiken woman 2014, “Worked with government to stop Sudanese poachers from slaughtering elephants for their tusks.”
After Movšina finished working in Africa, he and Kelly lived together in Paris and then in the Swiss Alps. In 2010, after finding out she was pregnant, she and Movshina moved to Aiken, South Carolina, to be closer to her family. She and Movshina still live in Aiken, along with their daughter Alexandra, who was born in 2011.
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Source: HIS Education