King Charles ‘deeply saddened’ over the Aga Khan’s death at 88

King Charles is sad to lose a friend, the Aga Khan.

The King is “deeply saddened” by the death of the Aga Khan, whom he considered “a personal friend of many years,” according to a royal source.

The Aga Khan, who led millions of Ismaili Muslims worldwide as their spiritual leader, passed away at the age of 88. 

His Aga Khan Foundation confirmed his passing, stating that Karim Al-Hussaini, the 49th hereditary imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, died on Tuesday in Portugal, surrounded by family.

It is understood that King Charles has privately reached out to the Aga Khan’s family in the past, as per the The Independent

A respected global figure, the Aga Khan shared a close bond with Queen Elizabeth II, with both being avid horse racing enthusiasts. The two often attended Royal Ascot together. 

He was also the owner of Shergar, the Derby-winning racehorse that was famously kidnapped from his Irish stud farm in 1983 and never recovered.

In 2008, the late Queen honored the Aga Khan with a dinner at Buckingham Palace. He was regarded with high esteem by the British monarchy, having been granted the title of “His Highness” by Queen Elizabeth in July 1957. 

This came just weeks after his grandfather, Aga Khan III, unexpectedly named him heir to the family’s 1,300-year-old dynasty as leader of the Ismaili Muslim community.

The Aga Khan also had ties to the younger generation of British royals. 

In 2019, Prince William and Princess Kate met him at the Aga Khan Centre in London, where they engaged with notable British-Pakistani business leaders, artists, chefs, and musicians.

The Aga Khan Foundation has stated that an announcement regarding his successor will be made at a later time.