Harrods is owned by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority (through its subsidiary Qatar Holding), which bought the store from Mohamed Al‑Fayed in 2010.

Who owns Harrods right now?

  • The legal owner is Harrods Group (Holding) Limited, which owns the Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, London.
  • Harrods Group was sold in 2010 to the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the state sovereign wealth fund of Qatar.
  • The deal was executed via Qatar Holding, QIA’s direct investment arm, for around £1.5 billion.

So when people ask “who owns Harrods,” the short, practical answer is: the State of Qatar, via its sovereign wealth fund.

Quick history of Harrods’ owners

  • 1849: Founded by Charles Henry Harrod as a small grocery in London.
  • 1889: Floated on the London Stock Exchange as Harrod’s Stores Limited.
  • 1959: Acquired by House of Fraser.
  • 1985: Bought by the Fayed brothers (including Mohamed Al‑Fayed) for about £615 million.
  • 2010: Sold to Qatar Holding / Qatar Investment Authority for around £1.5 billion.

Mini FAQ

  • Is Harrods still British‑owned?
    No. It is owned by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, though the store operates in London under a UK holding company.
  • Does the Al‑Fayed family still own any part?
    No. Mohamed Al‑Fayed fully sold Harrods to Qatar Holding in 2010 when he retired from the business.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.