‘She just wanted Charles’: Inside Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed’s summer situationship

One of the biggest points of contention in Princess Diana’s life was her relationship with Dodi Al Fayed. Because the pair were famously dating, and both killed in the horrific 1997 car crash, the media often likes to portray them as doomed lovers, meant to be together from the beginning.

I mean, that may be true, we could never say for certain. But, a number of Diana’s friends (and close aides) have said, after years of a strung-out marriage to a man who didn’t want her, she really just wanted to have a summer of fun. And, you know what? I’m VERY pro that.

So, let’s take a look into everything we know about Princess Diana’s relationship with Dodi, and we’ll let you decide. Were they star-crossed lovers, or just a simple summer situationship?

Photo via Netflix

As seen in The Crown season five, episode three, Dodi Al Fayed met Princess Diana for the first time at a polo match. His billionaire dad, Mohamed, had actually known Diana’s dad, the Earl Spencer, for a while, and introduced the pair. This was back in 1986, and neither person was interested in each other romantically at that point.

Throughout the years, Diana and Dodi were always aware of each other. They moved in the same social circles and were seen at the same events, but the timing was never quite right for either of them. This is because, up until summer 1997, Princess Diana was always seeing someone else – be it King Charles, James Hewitt or Dr. Hasnat Khan, aka “Mr. Wonderful”.

In The Crown, Diana’s relationship with Dr. Khan only seemed to last a couple of dates, before her Panorama interview gave him the terminal ick. But, in reality, the pair were together for a good couple of years, all the way up until the year she died. Diana even travelled to Pakistan in 1996, so she could meet Hasnat’s family.

Photo via Netflix

At this point, as we see in episode 10, Dodi gets engaged to American model Kelly Fisher, who later went on to say she was “jilted” by Dodi in favour of Diana.

During Diana’s trip away on Mohamed’s yacht, Dodi began to set his sights on her. According to Australian website Mama Mia, he absolutely showered her in gifts during, and after the cruise – from a Cartier watch to piles of roses. Eventually, Princess Diana accepted Dodi’s advances, and the pair decided to go on a Mediterranean cruise between Sardinia and the South of France. But, they only made it as far as Sardinia before paparazzi interference made them cut the cruise short.

In 2017, royal aide Michael Gibbins told The Sun she just wanted a “lovely summer” – and he couldn’t see the relationship lasting much longer after that.

Meanwhile, her royal biographer, Tina Brown, told the Telegraph that Princess Diana was still very much hung up on Charles. “She said to me that she would go back to Charles in a heartbeat if he wanted her,” she said. 

Photo via Netflix

Despite Diana’s alleged feelings, Dodi might’ve seen this as something way more serious. His dad, Mohamed, revealed to the press that during their tragic stopover in Paris (before aiming to head back to London), the film producer actually bought an engagement ring for the Princess.

Of course, we all know what happens next. On 31st August 1997, on their way out to dinner, Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed were killed in a car crash, which happened in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris. They never made it back to London.

The Crown season five is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Who exactly was Dukey from The Crown – and why was he against the Panorama interview?
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• Okay so did Martin Bashir actually break the law in how he secured the Diana interview?

Featured image via Netflix.