Billionaire philanthropist and spiritual leader Aga Khan has died at the age of 88.
“He passed away peacefully in Lisbon, Portugal, surrounded by his family,” his charity, the Aga Khan Development Network has announced in a statement on social media said the BBC.
Aga became a leading owner and breeder of race horses in the UK, France and Ireland, breeding Shergar, once the most famous and most valuable racehorse in the world.
Prince Karim Aga Khan was the 49th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslims, who trace his lineage directly to the Prophet Muhammad.
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Born in Switzerland, he had British citizenship and lived in a chateau in France.
King Charles is understood to be deeply saddened by the death of the philanthropist, who was a friend of both himself and his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and is in touch with the family privately.
The Aga Khan’s charities ran hundreds of hospitals, educational and cultural projects, largely in the developing world. He enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, with a private island in the Bahamas, a super-yacht and a private jet.
The Aga Khan Development Network said it offered its “condolences to the family of His Highness and to the Ismaili community worldwide.
“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,” it added.
