The Aga Khan, spiritual leader and philanthropist, dies aged 88
Billionaire who was honoured for his charitable work and was also known for his colourful private life.
The Aga Khan, a spiritual leader, philanthropist and one of the world’s richest men, has died aged 88.
In an announcement on social media, the Aga Khan Development Network said: “His Highness Prince Karim al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), passed away peacefully in Lisbon on 4 February 2025, aged 88, surrounded by his family.
“As we honour the legacy of our founder, Prince Karim Aga Khan, we continue to work with our partners to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities across the world, as he wished, irrespective of their religious affiliations or origins.”
The announcement of his designated successor will follow, although it is expected to be his son Prince Rahim, 53. He is survived by his children Princess Zahra, Prince Rahim, Prince Hussain and Prince Aly Muhammad, his brother Prince Amyn Muhammad, his half-sister Princess Yasmin, and four grandchildren.It was a surprise to many followers in 1957 when the 20-year-old Prince Karim, not his father, Aly, was chosen by his grandfather, Aga Khan III, as his successor. Explaining his decision, Aga Khan III wrote: “In view of the fundamentally altered conditions of the world in very recent years, including the discovery of atomic science, I am convinced that it is in the best interests of the Shia Muslim Ismaili Community that I should be succeeded by a young man, who has been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age, and who brings a new outlook on life to his office as Imam.”
The young Aga Khan IV — who was born in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1936 — had to abandon a doctoral degree at Harvard and turn his mind to his faith’s followers. He enjoyed a great deal of success as a racehorse breeder and trainer with a reputation from the long string of winners he had sent out on racecourses all over the world. In 1983 his horse Shergar, who won the 1981 Epsom Derby by a record ten lengths, was stolen from his stables in Co Kildare and was never seen again.
The Aga Khan developed an exclusive private yacht club in Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda, and owned an island in the Bahamas, two private jets and a £100 million ($200m) high-speed yacht, Alamshar, named after one of his horses.
In 1957 he was granted the title His Highness by the Queen, whom he counted as an old friend. In 2004 the Aga Khan, who had a British mother, was appointed KBE, and was hosted at Windsor Castleon the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee in 2018.
In 1969 he married Sarah Croker Poole, with whom he had three children. He and his wife grew apart and the marriage was dissolved in 1995. He was married again in 1998 to Princess Gabriele zu Leiningen. They divorced in 2014.
The Times
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