Aga Khan IV, the spiritual leader and friend of late Queen Elizabeth, has passed away at the age of 88.
A notice on the website of the Aga Khan Development Network announced the sad news, leaving a void in the hearts of his avid followers.
The note stated, "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.
It further stated, “Prince Karim Aga Khan was the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network.”
"Leaders and staff of the Aga Khan Development Network offer our condolences to the family of His Highness and to the Ismaili community worldwide,” the statement further added.
The post concluded, "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."
To note, despite spending most of his life out of the limelight, the Aga Khan was a spiritual leader of about 12 million people from the Ismaili sect of Islam.
For the unversed, at the time of his demise Aga Khan was believed to have been worth over £11bn
