Inside Diana’s £70m St Tropez love nest where Dodi Fayed wooed her before their tragic car crash which is on The Crown
WITH a worth of £70million and a whopping 30 bedrooms - the love nest where Dodi Al-Fayed wooed Princess Diana is certainly fit for royalty.
The stunning Castle St Therese in St Tropez on the French Riviera has all the extravagant features you’d expect from a billionaire’s bolthole.
It was owned by former Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed, who invited Princess Diana - along with sons Princes William and Harry - to come on a summer break in July 1997 to the house and on his yacht, the Jonikal.
The holiday - which would be their last as a three - is featured on the new season of Netflix's The Crown.
The Egyptian-born tycoon also invited his 42-year-old son Dodi to join them during the stay, and, as he hoped, a romance between Dodi and Diana started to blossom.
This palatial villa, which boasts four acres of grounds, was built in the 1860s and was originally owned by Ferdinand de Lesseps, who was the developer of the Suez Canal.
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And perfect for those who want to relax in private, it comes with luxury amenities such as indoor and outdoor pools, a tennis court, a gym and sauna and a nightclub with a cinema and bar.
Mohamed’s yacht was able to moor up to a jetty on the compound, and there was also a boathouse able to house a speedboat and a roof terrace that could be used as a helipad.
As well as the nine-bedroom main villa, there is also a waterfront beach house with a further nine bedrooms.
Diana, William, and Harry slept in a four-bedroom guest house - and there was also a security lodge and staff accommodation
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Dodi and Diana stayed in the impressive home twice on their own, before cruising around the Mediterranean on one of the family’s yachts.
It was during that cruise that Diana was spotted kissing and cuddling Dodi in photographs that were seen worldwide.
Diana’s famous shot sitting at the end of a diving board was also taken on that trip - which would be her last holiday before her tragic car crash with Dodi on August 31, 1997.
The couple famously died in a car crash in Paris after leaving the Ritz Hotel.
Castle St Therese was listed for sale in 2015 by Knight Frank, who produced a glossy brochure showing the jaw-dropping views from the house of the bay.
There was no asking price in the discreet brochure, but insiders said a figure of £40million was being mentioned, according to the Mail.
Neighbours were said to have included Bernard Arnault, owner of Louis Vuitton.
Mohamed spokesman Michael Cole said: “Mr Al Fayed has given this a great deal of thought. It is a bittersweet moment for him.
“He and his family have happy memories of St Tropez over many years and will always remember the summer of 1997 with great happiness and, of course, with tremendous sadness and regret at the way it ended.”
Mohamed passed away this year at the age of 94 - nearly 26 years to the day after Dodi’s death.
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He has been buried next to Dodi at the family mausoleum in Barrow Green Court in Oxted, Surrey.
Mohamed amassed a fortune running several high-profile businesses including the Ritz Hotel in Paris and a long stint as chairman of Premier League club Fulham.
