Earl Spencer Expresses Regret Over Omitting Dodi Fayed from Princess Diana's Funeral Eulogy

Earl Spencer has revealed his regret over not mentioning Dodi Fayed by name in his eulogy at Princess Diana's funeral. In his memoir, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," Spencer wrote that he had initially included a nod to Fayed in an early draft of the speech but ultimately removed it.

Spencer described Dodi Fayed as "kind to Diana" and noted that their final moments together before the fatal car crash in Paris displayed a "gentle playfulness." However, he also suggested that Diana's relationship with Fayed in the summer of 1997 may have been partly motivated by a desire to make another suitor, whom she deeply loved, jealous.

His eulogy, delivered at the funeral of his sister, was later recognized as one of the 20th century's most significant speeches. In it, he lauded Diana as "the very essence of compassion, of duty, of style, of beauty," and a "symbol of selfless humanity" to the world. The original speech made no mention of Fayed, who was romantically involved with Diana at the time of their deaths.

Spencer stated in his book that he had not met Dodi Fayed but had heard he was a "nice man who was good to Diana." He now believes he was mistaken to omit Fayed's name, conceding that while marriage between Diana and Fayed was unlikely, the relationship deserved acknowledgment. The suitor Diana reportedly loved deeply, and whom Fayed may have been intended to make jealous, is widely believed to be heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.

Furthermore, Earl Spencer disclosed that Princess Diana had expressed a strong dislike for Dodi Fayed's father, Mohamed Fayed. According to Spencer, Diana recounted an incident where Mohamed Fayed made a sexually suggestive comment and gesture towards her early in her relationship with Dodi. Mohamed Fayed, the former owner of Harrods and Fulham FC, died in 2023 amidst numerous accusations of sexual misconduct from various women.