Aga Khan, Spiritual Leader and Philanthropist, Dies at 88 in Lisbon

The Aga Khan, a spiritual leader, philanthropist and one of the world’s richest men, has died aged 88.

Known for his racehorses, the British citizen was the religious leader of the Ismaili sect of Islam, with an estimated 15 million members.

He inherited his title from his grandfather in 1957 aged just 20 and is believed by his followers to be ‘the bringer of life’. 

In spite of his sometimes turbulent private life he remained revered for the worldwide charitable works he has directed funds to. 

He passed away peacefully in Lisbon, Portugal, surrounded by his family. The Aga Khan Foundation has mentioned that an announcement regarding his successor will be made in due course.

The King was informed of the Aga Khan’s demise and expressed deep sorrow at losing a longtime personal friend. It is understood that he is in contact with the family in a private capacity.

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. 

The Aga Khan Prince Karim al-Hussaini walks from Downing Street after a breakfast meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on January 28, 2010

Karim Al Hussaini Shah, Aga Khan IV, fastening a ski during a skiing trip in Kitzbuhel in 1957

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, prior to dinner at Windsor Castle on March 8, 2018

Aga Khan IV, wearing a tweed jacket over a sweater with a shirt and tie, as he stands with his horse Zeddaan in 1973

Prince William and Kate are greeted by Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini on their arrival for a visit to the Aga Khan Centre in London in 2019

‘Prince Karim Aga Khan was the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network. The announcement of his designated successor will follow. 

‘Leaders and staff of the Aga Khan Development Network offer our condolences to the family of His Highness and to the Ismaili community worldwide. 

‘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 Aga Khan, whose ancestors fled Persia for India two centuries ago, was born in Switzerland and spent much of his later life in France, despite having British citizenship. 

His followers say he was a direct descendent of the Prophet Mohammed through his daughter, Hazrat Bibi Fatima, and the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, Hazrat Ali. 

Described by Vanity Fair as a ‘one man state’, alongside a colourful personal life his charities are famous for their work in poor and war-torn parts of the world.

The extent of the Aga Khan’s financial empire is hard to measure. Some reports estimated his personal wealth to be in the billions. 

The Ismailis – a sect originally centered in India but which expanded to large communities in east Africa, Central and South Asia and the Middle East – consider it a duty to tithe up to 10 per cent of their income to him as steward. 

His first wife was British model Sally Croker-Poole, who he married in 1969. They had two sons and a daughter. Eldest son Prince Rahim, 53, is expected to be his official successor. 

That first marriage ended after 25 years, and he married Princess Gabriele zu Leiningen in 1998 at his huge Aiglemont estate, near Paris. She is a German former pop singer who converted to Islam for her marriage, and adopted the new name of Inaara.

The couple had a son, but after six years announced their separation. In the course of their highly publicised break-up it was claimed that the estranged wife hired surveillance experts to prove her belief that her husband was having an affair.

The Aga Khan’s vast wealth allowed him to run a £100m yacht, named Alamshar after one of his racehorses. He also owned the infamous Shergar, who was stolen by gunmen in Ireland in 1983 and never seen again.

King Charles, then Prince of Wales, poses with the Aga Khan IV as they tour Altit village in Skardu, Pakistan, in 2006

Then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown meets the Aga Khan to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of becoming the Imam of the Shia Ismaili community in 2008

Karim Aga Khan and Begum Salimah with their daughter Princess Zahra Aga Khan in 1970

Karim Aga Khan and his wife Princess Salimah after their religious wedding, according to the rite of the Ismaili Muslims, in Paris in 1969

The Aga Khan and his second wife Princess Gabriele zu Leiningen, pictured together in 2002

He was also a skiing fanatic – even racing for Iran in the 1964 Winter Olympics. 

The Aga Khan Centre in London is home to the Aga Khan Foundation, the Aga Khan University’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations, and the Institute of Ismaili Studies. 

In 2023 the Aga Khan Foundation poured a total of £58.13million into charitable activities with the aim of promoting and providing for the advancement of education, health, rural development, the environment and support to civil society organisations for the public benefit.

The UK Government has worked closely with the AKDN in Central Asia and Tanzania, as well as in Afghanistan where the Aga Khan Foundation implement Department for International Development programmes including delivering an education programme under the Girls’ Education Challenge. 

It says it works in over 30 countries and has an annual budget of about $1 billion for nonprofit development activities. 

A network of hospitals bearing his name are scattered in places where health care had lacked for the poorest, including Bangladesh, Tajikistan and Afghanistan, where he spent tens of millions of dollars for development of local economies. 

He also founded the Nation Media Group, the largest independent media organisation in east and central Africa. 

A defender of Islamic culture and values, he was widely regarded as a builder of bridges between Muslim societies and the West despite – or perhaps because of – his reticence to become involved in politics. 

As a statesman, the Aga Khan facilitated diplomatic talks at regional and global levels, including the landmark 1985 summit between Presidents Reagan and Gorbachev in Geneva. 

Queen Elizabeth II speaks with the Aga Khan after his horse Harzand won the Derby on the second day of the Epsom Derby Festival in Surrey in 2016

French jockey Christophe Soumillon celebrates with horse owner Aga Khan after winning the Queen Anne Stakes on Valixir at Royal Ascot in York in 2005

The Aga Khan receives the Derby trophy after his horse Kayhasi won the race in Epsom in 1988

The Aga Khan addresses the audience at an award ceremony and dinner during the 35th anniversary International Development convention at the Washington, DC in 1887

The organisations work to promote understanding about Muslim cultures and to connect the public to global development issues. 

Alongside his charities, the Prince owned the largest horse racing and breeding operation in France. 

He was most famously the lead owner of Shergar, who won the Epsom Derby in spectacular fashion with a record-breaking lead of ten lengths in 1981.

With a white blaze on his face and white socks he was an instant favourite with the fans – before he was retired aged three to one of his Irish stud farms.

But in a shocking case he was kidnapped along with his groom John Fitzgerald in February 1983 from his stud farm in Ballymanny, County Kildare, by a group of masked men.

Whilst Fitzgerald was soon released, the thieves – who investigators believe were members of the IRA – demanded £2million for Shergar’s return.

After a series of phone calls, the kidnappers broke off contact and the magnificent horse was never seen again. 

The Aga Khan is survived by his children Princess Zahra, Prince Rahim, Prince Hussain and Prince Aly Muhammad, his brother Prince Amyn Muhammad, half-sister Princess Yasmin, and four grandchildren.

Shergar during the lead in by owner Aga Khan (top hat) with jockey Walter Swinburn after winning the Derby Stakes Classic at Epsom

Queen Elizabeth II and The Aga Khan share a smile at a dinner at Buckingham Palace to mark the Aga Khan’s Golden Jubilee

King Charles is greeted by the Aga Khan during a visit to the Ismaili Centre to join a reception to help celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2010

Hillary Clinton speaks with His Highness the Aga Khan before posing for a photograph ahead of the Afghanistan London Conference at Lancaster House on January 28, 2010

The owner of Zarkava his highness Aga Khan, center, his daughter Zahra Aga Khan, left, and French jockey Christophe Soumillon hold their trophies after winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe horse race at Longchamp race track in Paris in 2008

Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh (L) holds Sinndar next to owner Aga Khan (2nd R) and his wife, Begum Inaara (R) after winning the Group One Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 2000

The Aga Khan was the eldest son of Prince Aly Khan by his first wife, Joan Yarde-Buller, and spent his early life in Nairobi, Kenya, after being born in Geneva in 1936.

He attended the Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland before graduating from Harvard University in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Islamic history.

When he returned to the university following an eight-month break when he succeeded his grandfather,  he said it was ‘a big joke on campus’ with his classmates calling him ‘Jesus’.

‘I was an undergraduate who knew what his work for the rest of his life was going to be,’ he said in a 2012 interview with Vanity Fair magazine. ‘I don’t think anyone in my situation would have been prepared.’ 

The Aga Kahn III broke with 1,300 years of tradition to make Prince Karim Al-Hussaini his successor, allowing the title to skip over a generation.

He said in his will: ‘In view of the altered conditions in the World in very recent years, including the discoveries of atomic sciences, I am convinced that it is in the best interest of the Shia Muslim Ismailian Community that I should be succeeded by a young man.’ 

Treated as a head of state, the Aga Khan was given the title of ‘His Highness’ by Queen Elizabeth in July 1957, two weeks after his grandfather unexpectedly made him heir to the family’s 1,300-year dynasty as leader of the Ismaili Muslim sect. 

He became the Aga Khan IV on Oct. 19, 1957, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on the spot where his grandfather once had his weight equaled in diamonds in gifts from his followers. 

His eye for building and design led him to establish an architecture prize, and programs for Islamic Architecture at MIT and Harvard. He restored ancient Islamic structures throughout the world. 

The Aga Khan will be buried in Lisbon. The date was not released.