Mohamed Al-Fayed's legacy casts a long shadow over Scotland

He was also, it appears, a prolific sexual predator.

In a BBC documentary, five women said they were raped by Fayed when working at his luxury department store, Harrods, with dozens more saying they had been sexually assaulted.

By the end of the week the number was thought to be around 200, with allegations he had also assaulted women working at Fulham FC, the football club he owned until 2013.

Read More:

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Of the litany of accusations against him, one was of a "non-recent sexual assault" at his former estate in the Highlands and that, too, casts his history with Scotland in an entirely new light.

Fayed bought the Balnagown Estate, the historic stronghold of the Ross clan, in 1972.

The previous owner had been Sir Charles Ross, 9th Baronet, once believed to have been Britain's largest landowner thanks to an estimated 1,480 square kilometres of Scottish land.

Sir Charles was the inventor of the Ross rifle but not overly keen on paying tax, so much so that when the Inland Revenue attempted to claim £360,000 he exiled himself to America.

In an effort to prevent the castle and its lands from being seized he declared Balnagown an overseas territory of the state of Delaware, hoisting the stars and stripes above it.

Though various descendants lived in the castle on-and-off from his death in 1942, it fell into disrepair before being bought by Al Fayed.

The businessman spent a reported £20m redeveloping the property, and building tourist accommodation on the land.

The estate now stretches from the east coast between Alness and Tain in Ross-shire to within three miles of the west coast in Sutherland.

Harrods chairman Mohamed Al Fayed is accompanied by pipers Scott McNab, right, and Tony Whelan after accepting a Freedom of the Highlands certificate from The Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board (Image: PA)

Al-Fayed also owned the Falls of Shin visitor centre, dubbed the "Harrods of the North", which burned down in 2013 and was later sold.

The Al-Fayed family continues to operate Balnagown, with estate manager Callum Paterson saying earlier this year that they are hoping to introduce beavers to its waterways.

He told the Press and Journal: "The estate would be very interested in having beavers here.

“They are a natural part of the Scottish environment, albeit a lot of people don’t like them.

“My opinion is that we should have beavers but should be allowed to control them if they are a problem.”

As was his wont, Al-Fayed was not shy in making his opinions clear on the political situation in Scotland, despite the fact he was never a permanent resident north of the Border.

(Image: Martyn Hayhow/PA Wire)

Though the late mogul would famously fall out with SNP leader Alex Salmond, in 2006 he professed himself a big fan of the man and his party.

On a visit to the Highlands he said: "Without the Scottish oil they cannot run the South, and they don't appreciate that. Alex Salmond, he has a lot of personality, a lot of courage, a lot of commitment and patriotism which I admire."

Asked if he'd be willing to support the SNP financially he replied "of course" before adding "you have to have your independence".

The party said it would not be accepting a donation from Mr Al-Fayed, something he took very much in his stride.

In an interview with the Sunday Times he declared: "I will do anything for Scotland but I don't want this Alex Salmond.

"I asked to meet him, but he refused. I wanted to give him some help and advice, but he didn't want to know.

"I buy property in Scotland, I employ people there, I bring in tourists there, I believe in Scotland, but still he won't see me."

Being scorned did not appear to have blunted his enthusiasm for independence, however, even if a cynic might suggest his longstanding grudge against the British royal family, who he blamed for the death of his son Dodi, had something to do with that.

He declared in 2009 that he was willing to take on the role of President in a new Republican nation: "It is time for you to waken up and detach yourselves from the English and their terrible politicians.

"Whatever help is needed for Scotland to regain its independence, I will provide it. When you Scots regain your freedom I'm ready to be your president.

"I have lived here (in England) for 40 years, but now the home that I want is Scotland.

"If you Scots retain the royal family you will have no hope. You will be like Bangladesh.

"But once you get rid of the royals I will buy Balmoral Castle and open it up. I will run it for the public as a museum."

By 2012, Mr Salmond was First Minister and supportive of the building of a waste incineration plant on the outskirts of Invergordon, close to the billionaire's estate.

The tycoon accused him of "poisoning the people of the area" and bringing about "the devastation of Scotland".

Fayed was also firm friends with another controversial Scottish landowner, the mentalist Uri Geller.

The Harrods owner was the man who introduced Geller to the late pop superstar Michael Jackson, whose statue he controversially placed outside of Craven Cottage, the home Fulham.

Reacting to the news of his death Mr Geller said: "A cherished friend for many years, Mo introduced me to Michael Jackson among so many other celebrities.

"A wonderful man, larger than life and with a heart of gold. I will miss him greatly."

There is no suggestion Mr Geller was aware of the allegations against Fayed.

Mr Geller bought the island of Lamb for £30,000 in 2009, seemingly based on the belief, passed on by his billionaire friend, that it is home to a trove of ancient Egyptian treasure.

Fayed set much store by the myth of Scota, daughter of pharaoh Chencres, who took to the seas after a row with her father - along with her two sons and the Stone of Destiny - before accidentally discovering Scotland.

He said in 2009: "The Scots are originally Egyptians and that's the truth. I will erect a statue of Princess Scota to honour the close links between Scotland and Egypt. I will place the statue any place the Scottish people want it, Edinburgh, Glasgow or at Balnagown."

The legend comes from the Scotichronicon, a 15th century tome by Walter Bower, though that particular chronicle also says the English were born with tails.

The notion of Scotland having been founded by an Egyptian princess has been dismissed as "absolute rubbish" by Richard Oram, a professor of Medieval history at Stirling University.

Geller told the BBC in 2022 that Fayed had told him Scota ran aground off Lamb and buried her treasure there. He is yet to reveal whether he has discovered any.

Since 2005, the Met Police in London has received 19 accusations against Fayed, from rape and sexual assault to trafficking, relating to events between 1979 and 2013. The accusations continue to mount.

It seems unlikely that 'non-recent' assault at Balnagown was the only one north of the Border.