Who was Dodi Fayed's fiancée Kelly Fisher, and who plays her in The Crown?

While Kelly and Dodi are supposed to be preparing for their wedding in the drama, the momentous day fast-approaching, Mohamed is orchestrating a plan to bring his son and Diana together.

He tells Dodi that there is a "business emergency" in Saint-Tropez and demands his presence, which he reluctantly agrees to. But when he arrives, it becomes apparent that said emergency was merely a ploy and instead, it is Diana standing before him.

While initially frustrated by his father's behaviour in The Crown, Diana and Dodi quickly grow close and before long, he only has eyes for the princess, despite still being engaged to Kelly.

In the series, she travels to Saint-Tropez to see him after learning from the papers that Diana has also been staying on Mohamed's yacht, but she is squirrelled away on a smaller vessel, with Dodi travelling between the two.

In time, as his affections grow for Diana, Dodi's relationship with Kelly fizzles out.

Read on to find out how their relationship ended, and who plays her in the Netflix series.

Who was Dodi Fayed's fiancée Kelly Fisher?

Kelly Fisher is an American model who was in a relationship with Dodi Fayed. At a 2007 inquest into the death of Diana and Dodi (via the BBC), she said that she had met him in the summer of 1996 and claimed the pair had arranged to marry on August 9th 1997 (via AP), with Fayed giving her a $233,000 sapphire and diamond ring.

But a spokesperson for the Fayed family denied that he had proposed to her.

Photographs of Diana and Dodi kissing in Saint-Tropez emerged in the middle of August 1997 (the pair tragically died on August 31st).

"The way she learned about the betrayal was from the kiss photo," said Kelly's attorney Gloria Allred.

Following that, Kelly spoke to Dodi over the phone in what would be their final conversation. She recorded the exchange, which she was quizzed on at the inquest (via The Guardian).

"Why are you doing this to me?" she asked him. "Is it because it's Princess Diana? Are we over?"

He responded by telling her they would speak when he returned to LA.

Kelly's attorney said that her client "loved, trusted and believed in Mr Fayed", adding: "In return, he took her love and he gave every indication they they were going to get married and that he would fulfil all of his promises to her. In the end, he betrayed her and has humiliated her in the eyes of her friends and her family and numerous others who were aware of the relationship."

During that call, Kelly said Dodi informed her that they had broken up two months prior, despite the fact that she had joined him in Saint-Tropez. She had initially stayed in Paris while Dodi had flown out there, but she joined him a few days later and was housed on a different yacht, according to Vanity Fair.

"It's just quite humiliating to sit here and try to prove to people that someone wanted to marry you, you know," she said at the inquest.

Her mother said at the time: "No one's daughter deserves to be treated as my daughter was. Kelly loved him, trusted him and has been treated very cruelly by him. Dodi Fayed should be ashamed of his treatment of Kelly and he has not only hurt her but my whole family."

Kelly launched a lawsuit against Dodi for breach-of-contract but dropped legal action after his death.

Read more:

• How did Diana first meet Dodi Fayed and Mohamed Al-Fayed?
• The Crown’s Elizabeth Debicki on portraying Diana’s tragic final days
• The Crown’s Olivia Williams teases final scenes of last episode

Allred said (via AP): "Out of respect for the tragedy, and tremendous loss the Fayed family has suffered, [Kelly] has authorised me as her attorney, to dismiss her lawsuit against Mr Fayed.

"Although she does have the legal right to pursue the lawsuit against his estate after his death, she has voluntarily chosen not to exercise that right."

She added: "Kelly loved Dodi very much, and she is devastated by his loss, and that of Princess Diana. Nothing is more important than the life of a human being. In the light of this enormous tragedy, Kelly forgives Dodi for all of his past injustices against her."

Kelly did not attend Fayed's funeral because "it happened so fast that she was unable to get to London", said Allred.

Who plays Kelly Fisher in The Crown?

Kelly Fisher is played by Erin Richards. If you know her face, it's most likely from Fox superhero drama Gotham, which is set in the titular fictional city, before Bruce Wayne transitions into Batman.

She played Barbara Kean, James Gordon's fiancée, who becomes one of the series' villains.

Richards also had a main role in 2012 Fox sitcom Breaking In, and she also appeared in Sky Cinema's Save the Cinema in 2022 alongside Samantha Morton and Jonathan Pryce, who plays Prince Philip in The Crown.

The Crown season 6 part 1 is available to stream from 16th November on Netflix. Part 2 will arrive on 14th December. Seasons 1-5 are available now – sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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