London, United Kingdom – Beneath the shimmering lights and opulence of Harrods, the luxury department store that once symbolized wealth and grandeur, lay a darkness that whispers of pain and betrayal. For decades, behind the velvet curtains and beneath the golden chandeliers, women endured horrors at the hands of a man who was once untouchable—Mohamed Al Fayed.
The late Egyptian billionaire who once held Harrods in his grip was not merely a businessman. He wielded his power like a weapon, with each handshake and each carefully placed smile hiding a truth too awful to speak aloud. Now, after his passing, the silence is breaking.
A Long-Overdue Reckoning
It was Friday when the voices of the unheard found their strength. Women who had worked for Al Fayed, enduring years of suffering in silence, spoke through their lawyers, baring their truths to a world that might finally listen. Gloria Allred, a lawyer known for her relentless pursuit of justice for victims of abuse, stood before the press, her voice steady, her words piercing.
“Beneath the glamour, beneath the sheen of Harrods, there was a rot,” she said. And in that rot, women—more than 20, according to their testimonies—were victims of sexual abuse. Some were violated, their bodies treated as possessions, while others faced constant harassment, with no escape but silence.
One woman, known only as Natacha, spoke of her time working under Al Fayed’s thumb. Her voice quivered as she recalled the day she saw his obituary. “A monster,” she whispered, her eyes cast down as if the weight of her memories were too much to bear. “He got away with it.“
The heartache in her words echoed the sentiments of many others—women who had tried to speak, but were silenced by fear, by threats, by the knowledge that their voices would fall on deaf ears.
The Secrets Hidden in Plain Sight
From 1985 to 2010, Mohamed Al Fayed reigned over Harrods, a symbol of affluence in the heart of London. But within those years, according to allegations, women suffered quietly. The BBC uncovered their stories, broadcasting a chilling documentary that revealed the depth of the abuse. Harrods was not just a store, but a gilded cage for these women, and Al Fayed, the master of their fate.
Those who were chosen—women picked to serve as secretaries or personal assistants—were subjected to invasive medical exams, as if their worth could be measured not by their skills or intellect, but by their physical “purity.” “He wants to make sure you’re clean,” they were told. The implications were clear. Their bodies were not their own. They belonged to him.
A Culture of Silence
For years, these women carried their pain in silence. Some tried to speak out, but threats quickly followed. Maria Mulla, another lawyer representing several of the victims, described how the women were trapped, their pleas for help stifled by a culture that protected power over people.
“Harrods itself, the institution that many viewed as untouchable, now faces a reckoning of its own. The store has since apologized, expressing deep regret for the years of abuse that took place within its walls. ‘We are devastated by these revelations,’ the company said in a statement. ‘These actions were the result of an individual abusing his power, and we recognize the pain caused to these women.’”
In 2010, Al Fayed sold Harrods to the royal family of Qatar, a deal valued at approximately £1.5 billion ($2.3 billion). But while the ownership of the store may have changed, the scars left by Al Fayed remain.
A Legacy Tarnished
The late billionaire, who passed away in 2022 at the age of 94, always denied the accusations. His life, once celebrated in circles of power and wealth, is now forever tainted by the voices of those who refuse to be forgotten.
In the shadow of his passing, Harrods has sought to distance itself from this legacy. “We are a different organization now,” the company insists. But for the women who lived through those dark years, healing is not so easily attained.
Dean Armstrong, another lawyer representing 37 women—each with a story, each with a name, each deserving of justice—believes this is only the beginning. “The number will grow,” he said, his voice calm, but his conviction unwavering.
A New Dawn of Justice
There is a peculiar strength that comes with telling the truth after years of silence. It rises slowly, like the sun after a long night, warming the coldest parts of our hearts. And so, the women who worked for Mohamed Al Fayed now stand in the light, no longer shrouded by the shadows of his wealth and power.
Their stories—of violation, of betrayal, of survival—are not just cries of pain but calls to action. In their truth, there is hope that the days of unchecked power are numbered.
Harrods, with all its glittering windows and polished floors, is no longer just a symbol of luxury. It is a reminder that beneath even the most beautiful surfaces, darkness can grow. But with every story shared, with every truth told, that darkness can be driven back.
