Unraveling the actual love Story: A timeline of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed's romance

In the initial part of The Crown's ultimate season, Princess Diana takes center stage, with a significant emphasis on her relationship with Dodi Al Fayed, son of Mohammed Al Fayed. Elizabeth Debicki and Khalid Abdalla skillfully portray this brief romance in the opening episodes of season six.

Addressing their roles, Abdalla shared with Town & Country, "The intriguing aspect is that the crash often overshadows everything. Surprisingly, as a consequence, what tends to be overlooked is the extraordinary summer that Dodi and Diana shared. From an acting standpoint, that's the true challenge — and it's also been an absolute delight to explore."

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Explore the entire timeline of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed's short-lived romance:

In the late '80s: Princess Diana crosses paths with Mohammed Al Fayed Following Mohammed's acquisition of the renowned Harrods department store in 1985, the Egyptian businessman becomes intertwined with the British royal family, bringing him into contact with Princess Diana.

August 1996: Formal Divorce for Prince Charles and Diana Despite separating in 1992, Prince Charles and Princess Diana concluded their formal divorce in August 1996. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip endorsed the decision to divorce in late 1995, and the process was completed within a year.

July 1997: Start of Diana and Dodi's Romance.

During the summer of 1997, Mohammed extends an invitation to Princess Diana and her sons, Princes William and Harry, for a vacation with his family in the south of France. Diana accepts the invitation, and the conclusion of season five of The Crown depicts her preparing for this significant trip.

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August 1997: Diana's Continued Time with Dodi

Following Princes William and Harry's summer vacation with Prince Charles at Balmoral in Scotland, Diana persists in fulfilling her engagements. She returns to the South of France, reuniting with Dodi for further moments together aboard the Jonikal in early August. During this time, their activities are captured by paparazzi photographer Mario Brenna, who sells the pictures to the Sunday Mirror at record-breaking prices.

On August 30, 1997: Diana and Dodi fly to Paris, heading to the Ritz Paris, owned by Mohammed Al Fayed. That same day, Dodi visits the Repossi store in Paris to collect the ring they reportedly selected in Monaco. Following dinner, they opt to visit an apartment owned by Dodi off the Champs-Elysées. 

Approximately 20 minutes after midnight, they depart the hotel. Pursued by paparazzi, their car meets with a tragic accident in the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris. Dodi succumbs instantly, and in the early hours of August 31 at Hospital La Pitié Salpêtrière, Diana is declared deceased.