Aga Khan Death at 88: Spiritual Leader, Philanthropist and one of the World’s richest men walk away in Lisbon

Aga Khan, a spiritual leader, philanthropist and one of the richest men in the world, has died aged 88 years.

Most often in the public eye, thanks to his race horses, the British citizen was the spiritual leader of 12 million members of the Ismaili sect of Islam.

He inherited his title from his grandfather in 1957 aged only 20 and is assumed by his supporters to be ‘the Bring of Life’.

Despite his sometimes turbulent private life, he remained honored to the worldwide charitable works for which he has imposed funds.

He died peacefully in Lisbon, Portugal, surrounded by his family.

In a message on social media, Aga Khan Development Network said: ‘His Highness Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, 49. Hereditary Imam from Shia Ismaili Muslims and direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), passed away peacefully in Lisbon on February 4, 2025, 88 years old, surrounded by his family.

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

‘Leaders and staff at Aga Khan Development Network offer our compassion to the family of his highness and to the Ismaili community worldwide.

“As we honor 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 around the world that he wanted, regardless of their religious attachment or origin.”

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 supporters say he was a direct descendant of Prophet Mohammed through his daughter, Hazrat Bibi Fatima, and the Prophet’s Cousin and son -in -law, Hazrat Ali.

His first wife was the British model Sally Coker-Poole, which he married in 1969. They had two sons and one daughter. The eldest son Prince Rahim, 53, is expected to be his official successor.

The first marriage ended after 25 years, and he married Princess Gabriele Zu Leiningen in 1998 on his huge Aigemont property, near Paris. She is a German former pop singer who converted to Islam to her marriage and adopted the new name inaara.

The couple had a son, but after six years announced their separation. During their highly published collapse, it was claimed that the alienated wife hired surveillance experts to prove her belief that her husband had an affair.

Aga Khan’s enormous wealth let him run a yacht of 100 million. £, by the name of Alamshar after one of his race horses. He also owned the notorious Shergar, stolen by guns in Ireland in 1983 and never seen again.

He was also a skiing fanatic – even racing for Iran this winter -ol in 1964.

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

By 2023, the Aga Khan Foundation poured a total of £ 58.13 million into charitable activities aimed at promoting and providing promotion of education, health, rural development, environment and support for civil society organizations to public benefit.

The British government has worked closely with AKDN in Central Asia and Tanzania as well as in Afghanistan, where the Aga Khan Foundation implements the Department of International Development Programs, including providing an educational program during the girls’ educational challenge.

The organizations are working to promote understanding of Muslim cultures and to connect the public to global development issues.

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

He 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.

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

He participated in the Institute Le Rosey in Switzerland before training from Harvard University in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Islamic history.

When he returned to university after an eight -month break when he succeeded his grandfather, he said it was ‘a great joke on Campus’ where his classmates called him ‘Jesus’.

Aga Kahn III broke with 1,300 years of tradition of making Prince Karim al-Hussaini his successor, enabling the title to skip a generation.

He said in his will: ‘Considering the changed conditions in the world in recent years, including the discoveries of nuclear science a young man. ‘

This is a breaking story, more to follow.