'The Crown': Who Was Sydney Johnson? Mohamed Al Fayed's Royal Valet

The fifth season of Netflix's The Crown introduces a number of new characters including billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods luxury department store, and his son Dodi, the boyfriend of Princess Diana who died in the car crash that would also kill the royal.

Among the new characters is a formerly forgotten royal valet, Sydney Johnson, who served both a former king and Al Fayed. But how much of the screen portrayal is true to life and who was the real man Al Fayed was prompted to call the "gentleman's gentleman"? Newsweek provides the answers here.

Who Was Sydney Johnson?

Sydney Johnson was born in the Bahamas in approximately 1923, growing up on the island of Andros.

Little is known of his early life, but at the age of 16 he entered the domestic service of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor as a valet.

The couple and Johnson crossed paths while the duke, who was formerly King Edward VIII before abdicating to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson, was serving as governor of the Bahamas during World War II.

In The Crown, Johnson is played by actor Jude Akuwudike and the character's first scenes in season five show him being asked to take on a permanent position with the royals in the 1940s.

Johnson moved to Paris with the couple when they left their positions in the Bahamas. They moved into a large mansion in the fashionable Bois de Boulogne and were well known for entertaining on a lavish scale.

Johnson became indispensable to the duke, being his closest servant whose responsibilities included tending to the royal's every whim; from caring for his clothes and dressing him, to running personal errands and pouring his nightly drinks.

The royal confidant stayed with the Windsors for over two decades. At some point during this time Johnson married and had children.

Why Did Sydney Johnson Leave the Windsors?

Sydney Johnson worked for the Windsors in Paris until the death of the duke in 1972.

The exact circumstances surrounding his departure are unclear. However multiple sources state that it arose following an altercation with the duchess.

When the duke died, Simpson was left his entire estate making her a very wealthy women. On top of this, she continued to receive a pension that was bestowed on her husband by the British royal family. However, she worried about money.

One economizing measure was to reduce the number of household staff she and the duke had employed.

In his joint biography of Simpson and Edward, Traitor King, Andrew Lownie wrote that Johnson was among those let go.

"One of those to go was Sydney, the butler, who had been with the Windsors since the Bahamas. His wife had just died, requiring him to put his three small children to bed. Having failed to engage nurse or housekeeper, he asked if he might begin going home at five. Wallis's response had been, 'If you go home at five, don't come back.' He left and did not come back."

The Daily Telegraph reports a different version of the story, which saw Simpson tell Johnson "I never want to see you again," when he requested to leave early.

"I have four children. Let me take care of my four children. And you take care of your four dogs," he is reported to have responded.

Did Sydney Johnson Work for Mohamed Al Fayed?

After leaving the employment of the duchess of Windsor, Johnson stayed in Paris, reappearing in society as the valet to Mohamed Al Fayed.

In season five of The Crown, Johnson is shown working at the Ritz Paris hotel when he met Al Fayed who purchased the business in 1979. Upon learning that Johnson had formerly worked with the Windsors, Al Fayed hires him for his personal staff, learning from him the way of British royalty.

Whether this is how the pair met or is a true reflection of their relationship is unknown.

Al Fayed is known to have been fond of Johnson and to have had a keen interest in the duke and duchess of Windsor.

In 1986, the duchess died, having let her Paris mansion fall into disrepair. On hearing that the house belonged to the French government, Al Fayed signed a 50-year lease on the property, agreeing to spend millions on repairs with the aim of returning it to the splendor it enjoyed during the duke and duchess' lives.

On top of leasing the property, Al Fayed purchased all of the royals' art, furniture, paintings and personal possessions which were due to be auctioned. Key to restoring the house to the way it looked in years gone by was Johnson, who assisted Al Fayed with the project.

When the house was completed, Al Fayed allowed Johnson to take part in documentaries and interviews about the Windsors. Speaking to The New York Times, he said the house was just "how it used to be...except there are no dogs around."

Prince Charles is reported to have visited the house that Al Fayed renamed "Villa Windsor" during its restoration. Princess Diana visited with boyfriend Dodi Fayed, days before her death in 1997.

When Did Sydney Johnson Die?

Johnson died on January 17, 1990, less than a year after the restoration of Villa Windsor was completed.

In The Crown, Mohamed Al Fayed is seen tenderly caring for his valet in his final days, and mourning at his graveside. While these are dramatizations, Al Fayed did make a statement after Johnson's death, praising his loyalty, adding:

"He was truly a gentlemen's gentleman. We shall miss him very much."

Season 5 of The Crown is available to stream on Netflix now.

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