The statue is the second of two memorials in Harrods to Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed, both commissioned by Mohamed Al-Fayed, Dodi's father, who owned the store from 1985 to 2010. The first memorial, unveiled in April 1998, is a pyramid-shaped display containing photos of Dodi and Diana, a wine glass said to be from their last dinner, and a ring said to have been purchased by Dodi the day prior to the crash in which they both died.
Design and creation
The statue was designed by London-born sculptor William Mitchell and cast in bronze using the lost wax method at the Bronze Age Foundry in East London. It depicts Diana and Dodi facing each other, clad in loose clothing that clings to their bodies. They are said to be dancing in Mediterranean waves. Dodi's right arm is raised and appears to be releasing a large bird, said to be an albatross symbolising "freedom and eternity". Diana's left arm is also raised, gripping Dodi's hand. Their other arms are below their waists, the fingers just touching. There is a forward momentum in their poses, Diana's right leg bent and exposed by a dress cut to the top of her thigh. Dodi's right leg is completely off the base of the statue. Both are bare-footed. The inner curve of the wings of the bird has been described as forming a double D. Mitchell also designed the Egyptian escalator at Harrods and the associated carvings which form the background to both of the Dodi and Diana monuments.
Unveiling
At the time of its unveiling in September 2005, Al-Fayed said:
As we approach the eighth anniversary of Diana and Dodi's untimely death and in the absence of any further official memorial for these two victims - apart from the highly criticised fountain in Hyde Park - I wanted to keep their spirits alive with a further gesture... I have named the sculpture Innocent Victims because for eight years I have fought to prove that my son and Princess Diana were murdered.
Location
In January 2018, it was announced that the statue would be returned to the Al-Fayed family, seven years after Mohamed Al-Fayed sold Harrods to the Qatar Investment Authority. At the time of the unveiling, Al-Fayed had said that the statue would stay at Harrods forever. The Qatari owners are eager to regain the patronage of the British royal family, and that this would have financial benefits, Harrods having been Royal Warrant holders continuously from 1913 to 2000 until "the ugly aftermath" of the death of Diana and Dodi. The statue and memorial had attracted thousands of tourists.
