The Aga Khan holding the Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy after being presented with the prestigious award for philanthropy at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh in 2005. - AP
LONDON: The Aga Khan, who became the spiritual leader of the world’s millions of Ismaili Muslims at the age of 20, has died aged 88.
His Aga Khan Foundation announced on its website that Karim al-Hussaini, the 49th hereditary imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, died on Tuesday in Portugal surrounded by his family.
Born in Switzerland in 1936, the imam, philanthropist and successful businessman held Swiss, British, French and Portuguese citizenship.
He was the owner of Shergar, the Derby-winning racehorse who was kidnapped from his Irish stud farm in 1983 and never seen again.
Britain's late queen Elizabeth II hosted a dinner party in the Aga Khan’s honour at Buckingham Palace in 2008.
Treated as a head of state, the Aga Khan was given the title of "his highness” by the late queen in July 1957, two weeks after his grandfather the Aga Khan III unexpectedly made him heir to the family’s 1,300-year dynasty as leader of the Ismaili Muslim sect.
The prince and princess of Wales met the Aga Khan at an event in London in 2019.
The couple visited the Aga Khan Centre in central London, where they met prominent British-Pakistani business leaders, musicians, chefs and artists.
Activist and Nobel Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai passed along her "deepest condolences” to Khan’s family and loved ones.
"May his soul rest in peace,” she wrote in a post on X.
"His legacy will continue to live on through the incredible work he led for education, health and development around the world.”
Tributes also poured in from world leaders.
Britain's King Charles III is "deeply saddened” over the death of the Aga Khan, who was "a personal friend of many years”, a royal source has said.
It is understood Charles has been in touch with the Aga Khan’s family privately.
The Aga Khan was a long-term friend of his mother Elizabeth II and the pair, both ardent fans of horse racing, watched the sport together at Royal Ascot.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said: "I am deeply saddened by the news that His Highness Prince Karim al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, has passed away.
"He was a symbol of peace, tolerance and compassion in our troubled world.
"I express my deepest condolences to his highness’s family and the Ismaili community.”
The Aga Khan Foundation said an announcement on his successor will come later. - AP
