The Aga Khan, a religious chief, philanthropist and one of many world’s richest males, has died aged 88.
Most frequently within the public eye because of his racehorses, the British citizen was the religious chief of 12 million members of the Ismaili sect of Islam.
Some imagine he was a direct descendent of the Prophet Mohammed by means of his daughter, Hazrat Bibi Fatima, and the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, Hazrat Ali.
He inherited his title from his grandfather in 1957 aged of simply 20 and is believed by his followers to be ‘the bringer of life’.
Despite his generally turbulent non-public life he remained revered for the worldwide charitable works he has directed funds to.
In an announcement on social media, the Aga Khan Improvement Community mentioned: ‘His Highness Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, forty ninth hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), handed away peacefully in Lisbon on 4 February 2025, aged 88, surrounded by his household.
The Aga Khan Prince Karim al-Hussaini walks from Downing Road after a breakfast assembly with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on January 28, 2010
Karim Al Hussaini Shah, Aga Khan IV, fastening a ski throughout a snowboarding journey in Kitzbuhel in 1957
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, previous to dinner at Windsor Citadel on March 8, 2018
Aga Khan IV, sporting a tweed jacket over a sweater with a shirt and tie, as he stands along with his horse Zeddaan in 1973
Prince William and Kate are greeted by Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini on their arrival for a go to to the Aga Khan Centre in London in 2019
‘Prince Karim Aga Khan was the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Improvement Community. The announcement of his designated successor will observe.
‘Leaders and employees of the Aga Khan Improvement Community supply our condolences to the household of His Highness and to the Ismaili group worldwide.
‘As we honour the legacy of our founder, Prince Karim Aga Khan, we proceed to work with our companions to enhance the standard of life for people and communities internationally, as he wished, no matter their spiritual affiliations or origins.’
The Aga Khan, whose ancestors fled Persia for India two centuries in the past, was born in Switzerland and spent a lot of his later life in France, regardless of having British citizenship. He died in Lisbon, Portugal.
His first spouse was British mannequin Sally Croker-Poole, who he married in 1969. That they had two sons and a daughter. Eldest son Prince Rahim, 53, is predicted to be his official successor.
That first marriage ended after 25 years, and he married Princess Gabrielle in 1998 at his large Aiglemont property, close to Paris. She is a German former pop singer who transformed to Islam for her marriage, and adopted the brand new title of Inaara.
The couple had a son, however after six years introduced their separation.
The Aga Khan’s huge wealth allowed him to run a £100m yacht, named Alamshar after considered one of his racehorses.
He additionally owned the notorious Shergar, who was stolen by gunmen in Eire in 1983 and by no means seen once more.
He’s survived by his youngsters Princess Zahra, Prince Rahim, Prince Hussain and Prince Aly Muhammad, his brother Prince Amyn Muhammad, half-sister Princess Yasmin, and 4 grandchildren.
The Aga Khan was the eldest son of Prince Aly Khan by his first spouse, Joan Yarde-Buller, and spent his formative years in Nairobi, Kenya, after being born in Geneva in 1936.
He attended the Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland earlier than graduating from Harvard College in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts Diploma in Islamic historical past.
When he returned to the college following an eight-month break when he succeeded his grandfather, he mentioned it was ‘a giant joke on campus’ along with his classmates calling him ‘Jesus’.
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