Harrods ‘considering legal options’ against estate of former owner

Harrods has said it is “considering legal options” against the estate of its former owner, the late Mohamed al-Fayed, who has been accused of sexually assaulting now-former staff members of the luxury department store.

According to Sky News, the department store is planning to file a passing-over application in the High Court to secure the removal of al-Fayed’s current executors and replace them with professional executors to administer it instead.

Sources for the media outlet had suggested that the company’s current executors, believed to be family members of the late entrepreneur, had “ignored” correspondence from Harrods’ lawyers. If brought in, professional executors would be requested to investigate the assets and liabilities of the estate.

It is understood that Harrods’ intention is to pursue the recovery of sums from al-Fayed’s estate to fund the increasingly heightened compensation fees for the entrepreneur’s victims.

In a statement to Sky News, a spokesperson for Harrods said: "We are considering legal options that would ensure that no doors are closed on any future action and that a route to compensation and accountability from the Fayed estate remains open to all."

A documentary released by the BBC in September 2024 unveiled evidence of allegations against Harrods’ late boss via testimonies from over 20 female ex-employees, five of which said they had been raped by al-Fayed, while others stated they were sexually assaulted.

The incidents were said to have taken place between 2005 and 2023, when al-Fayed had passed away. Since the release of the BBC expose, 90 more alleged victims have come forward, according to London police.