TO sell the iconic yacht that hosted Lady Diana, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the princess’s death, it is the current owner, the telecommunications scrooge Bassim Haidar, of Lebanese origin, who had bought it just a year ago. He now he wants a bigger one for his wife and daughters.
Diana and Dodi Fayed in St Tropez, August 1997 (AP PHOTO)
“Just” 10 million for Lady Diana’s yacht
64 meters long, the Bash – which however at the time of Diana bore the name of Jonikal and was then also called Sokar – is then again on sale for the tidy sum of 10 million pounds (about 12 million euros). But experts say, its iconic value is priceless.
A yacht Made in Italy
Built in 1990 by the Italian shipyard Codecasa e equipped with nine luxury cabinsincluding a master suite, the now historic yacht was part of a fleet owned by Dodi himself and his father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, at the time owner of Harrods, the London department stores. It can accommodate up to 12 guests and boasts a super specialized crew of 22.
Lady Diana’s last vacation
In that famous summer of 1997, Diana, recently divorced from Prince Charles and increasingly involved in a media war with her ex-husband heir to the throne, she decided to take a vacation in the Mediterranean, between Sardinia, Greece and finally the south of France, with her new flame, the film producer Dodi Fayed.
Princess Diana’s Last Vacation, July 1997 (WireImage)
Princess Diana’s final act of rebellion
In July 1997, photos of Diana and Dodi on vacation on the yacht they went around the world, causing concern at Buckingham Palace – in the event of a wedding, Dodi would be the first Muslim to join the Royal Family.
In a phone call to a friend, the princess called those days “a real joy.” But a few weeks later, on August 31, the two were killed in a car accident in Paris.
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