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Elle
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
Costa Smeralda Guide: Where To Stay, Eat And What To Do
Breathe in the salt-tinged air of Porto Cervo, the dazzling jewel of Northern Sardinia's Costa Smeralda, where emerald seas kiss buttery-white beaches under skies so blue they could be lifted straight from a painting. This isn't just paradise; it's the playground of billionaires, a magnet for yachts prowling the Tyrrhenian Sea, and a storied haunt for celebrities seeking exclusive leisure wrapped in Mediterranean glamour. Tasked by Prince Karim Aga Khan IV in the 1960s to design and develop Porto Cervo and the Costa Smeralda, Jacques Couelle and Michele Busiri Vici are among the architects credited with the transformation of Porto Cervo as it is known and loved today. Here, luxury whispers, rather than shouts — it's seamlessly woven into the natural contours of the rugged coastline and lush pine forests, ensuring every sun-dappled terrace and hidden cove feels like your own secret vista. Oliver Fly Walking through its streets, you sense the refined legacy of its founders: spaces crafted with elegance and restraint, setting the stage for a style that's effortlessly chic. No wonder the world's most discerning jet-setters flock here each summer to bask in its exclusive vibe and impeccable taste. Hotel Pitrizza If Porto Cervo is a treasure chest, then Hotel Pitrizza is its rarest gem. Nestled within secluded Mediterranean gardens just steps from the crystalline sea, this 66-room hotel embodies Sardinia's timeless elegance. With a reputation for being the most luxurious hideaway on Costa Smeralda, it offers guests refined privacy — think handwoven furnishings, terrace views that spill into the shimmering bay, and suites infused with Sardinian warmth and light. Hotel Pitrizza Hotels are in the business of perfectly the finer details, and there are some that excel in their practice, and others that don't. Pitrizza belongs to the former; it is a slither of heaven. Celebrity whispers hint at regular visits from A-listers like George Clooney and Kate Middleton, drawn not just by Pitrizza's exquisite service but its discreet exclusivity that's impossible to replicate elsewhere. The hotel's private beach, framed by granite cliffs, is the perfect backdrop for impromptu brunches or evening aperitivos under a canvas of stars. It's not hard to see why there are families who have holidayed at Pitrizza for 40 years, every year requesting the same villa, only to be warmly welcomed by the 200 staff that work at the resort. The m aître d' at the hotel's restaurant, a dinner jacket-wearing Naples native named Peppino, has worked at the hotel for over 40 years. He is one of the most charming men you could ever hope to be served by, let alone meet. For anybody lucky enough to call Pitrizza home, whether for 40 years or just a matter of nights, you will not struggle to see for yourself how the hotel is the very embodiment in every possible way of la dolce vita , Sardinian style. FIND OUT MORE HERE Where to eat Matsuhisa at Cala di Volpe For those in the know, Porto Cervo's culinary scene hit a new apex when Chef Nobuyuki 'Nobu' Matsuhisa launched his seasonal residency at Cala di Volpe. This is not just Nobu as you know it — it's Matsuhisa at Cala di Volpe , perched over Porto Cervo's most glamorous bay, where yachts glint in the dusk and sunset toasts are a given. Housed in the hotel's iconic Bar Pontile and designed for maximum Mediterranean drama, it's a scene that attracts everyone from megawatt celebrities to discerning global tastemakers. Marriott Chef Nobu's groundbreaking culinary style — a seamless blend of Japanese precision and bold Peruvian influences — is unsurprisingly perfectly at home at Cala di Volpe. Expect delicate sashimi, the legendary black cod with miso (a must-order), and playful 'Matsuhisa Bites' like padron peppers with miso and lobster tacos, all plated with artistic bravado as the sea shimmers below. The open-air setting makes every meal feel like a private event, and if you have any idea what's good for you, wash whatever you order down with a Peach Bellini (which is made using fresh white peach purée made in-house every single day). FIND OUT MORE HERE Ristorante Gianni Pedrinelli Tucked just 500 metres from the sea in the Piccolo Pevero area, Ristorante Gianni Pedrinelli is a Porto Cervo institution — one that has been drawing the Costa Smeralda's effortlessly chic crowd for nearly two decades. Housed in what was once a private home, the restaurant channels a neo-classical ease with its airy interiors, checkerboard stone floors, antiques, and sweeping views: think white-draped tables beneath raftered ceilings, or sunset-lit dinners on the elegant terrace. Still operated by the Pedrinelli siblings — Gianni and Renato helming the floor with Clara as head chef — the focus is firmly on authentic Northern Italian and Sardinian cuisine, with a proud commitment to local produce. FIND OUT MORE HERE Il Pescatore The soul of Porto Cervo's waterfront dining, Il Pescatore (now known as Quattro Passi al Pescatore) is an icon that has defined Costa Smeralda's social scene since the 1960s. Just inches above the azure water, its sun-drenched stone terrace delivers the Porto Cervo panorama: moored super yachts glinting in the background, and a gentle Mediterranean breeze that makes every meal feel cinematic. FIND OUT MORE HERE What to do Spiaggia Rosa Located on the tiny Budelli Island in the La Maddalena Archipelago, just off the northern coast, Spiaggia Rosa a beach like no other: the sand glows with ethereal pink hues thanks to crushed shells, coral fragments, and microscopic marine organisms that live in the calcareous shells of tiny marine creatures. San Pantaleo This artsy village is famed for its bohemian spirit, lively markets, and stazzi (traditional Sardinian farmhouses). Browse local crafts, then hike the granite hills for panoramic sea views and a sun-bleached, cinematic serenity. Liscia Ruja The longest beach on the Costa Smeralda, Liscia Ruja boasts the kind of sugar-white sand and crystal-clear water that dreams are made of. It's the picture-perfect spot for a sunset dip. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE . The Best Amalfi Coast Hotels For Summer 2025 Naomi May is a seasoned culture journalist and editor with over ten years' worth of experience in shaping stories and building digital communities. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard, where she worked across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Digital Editor at ELLE Magazine and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others. Naomi is also the host of the ELLE Collective book club.
Express Tribune
12-02-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Prince Rahim Aga Khan V accedes as 50th imam
LISBON: Prince Rahim Aga Khan V formally acceded as the 50th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community in a historic ceremony held at The Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat in Lisbon, Portugal. The event, attended by global leaders of the Ismaili community, marked the official transition of leadership following the passing of his father, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV. During the ceremony, Ismaili leaders from around the world pledged spiritual allegiance to the new Imam on behalf of the global Ismaili community. The momentous occasion was livestreamed in Jamatkhanas (places of gathering) across more than 35 countries, allowing Ismailis worldwide to participate virtually. In his address, Aga Khan V paid tribute to his late father, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, and expressed gratitude to his family for their support. He also thanked the governments of Portugal and Egypt for their recognition of his father's contributions and for facilitating dignified funeral arrangements. Speaking to the international community for the first time as their Imam, Aga Khan V pledged to dedicate his life to care for the spiritual and material well-being of the Ismaili Jamat. He underscored the core principles of the Ismaili Muslim faith, stressing the importance of maintaining a balance between spiritual and worldly responsibilities. His message centred on universal values of peace, tolerance, inclusion and humanitarian service, urging his followers to actively contribute to the societies in which they live. He also called upon the Ismaili community to take a leadership role in addressing climate change, stressing the need for environmental responsibility. Having been deeply involved in the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) for decades, Aga Khan V pledged to continue fostering stability while embracing measured change. He reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining strong partnerships with governments and international organisations, following in his father's footsteps to promote peace, stability and sustainable development.
Express Tribune
10-02-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Why was Aga Khan IV laid to rest in Egypt's Aswan?"
Listen to article Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, was laid to rest in Aswan, Egypt, on Sunday during a private ceremony. His death, which was announced on February 4, 2025, at the age of 88, has left the global Ismaili Muslim community in mourning. He was laid to rest in Aswan in accordance with his last wish. Early life and legacy of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV Prince Karim Aga Khan IV was born in Geneva, Switzerland, to Prince Aly Khan and Joan Yarde-Buller. His early years were spent in Nairobi, Kenya, before he attended the prestigious Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland. At the age of 20, he inherited the title of Aga Khan following the passing of his grandfather, Aga Khan III, a transition that bypassed his father, Prince Aly Khan, and his uncle, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, who were in direct line to succession. After becoming Imam, he went on to graduate from Harvard University in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Throughout his life, Prince Karim held multiple nationalities, including British, French, Swiss, Portuguese, and honorary Canadian citizenship. Over the course of his life, Prince Karim founded the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), an organization he established over 50 years ago to promote humanitarian development across multiple sectors. His leadership has earned him numerous accolades, including distinctions of honor from France, Portugal, Kenya, Canada, the United Kingdom, Iran, India, Pakistan, and Senegal. He was the recipient of 44 international awards, among them the UN Champion for Global Change Award, and 24 honorary degrees from renowned institutions like Cambridge, Harvard, and McGill. Why the Aga Khan chose Egypt as his resting place In a deeply personal decision, the Aga Khan IV requested to be buried in Egypt, near his grandfather, Sultan Muhammad Shah, the 48th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, and his grandmother, Om Habiba. The burial site, in the southern province of Aswan , was chosen due to its historical significance for the Aga Khan family. Sultan Muhammad Shah, a pivotal figure in Ismaili history, passed away in 1957, and his presence near the sacred Nile River has long been revered. The decision to honor his family's Egyptian roots reflects the Aga Khan's deep connection to the land that has played a central role in shaping his family's spiritual and cultural identity. Private funeral service and global tributes The funeral service held in Lisbon on Saturday, February 9, 2025, was attended by international dignitaries, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Spain's King Emeritus Juan Carlos, and Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The Ismaili community in Lisbon joined in paying tribute to the late Aga Khan, marking his passing with profound reverence. A procession to honor the Imam followed the ceremony, with his body being transported draped in a white shroud through Lisbon. It was then flown to Egypt, where it was met by his family at the Aswan airport on Saturday, before the final journey to his burial site. Mourners carried the body to the banks of the Nile, where it was placed aboard a yacht that sailed the river in a symbolic farewell to his spiritual journey. The Aga Khan IV's lifelong contributions The Aga Khan IV's leadership was marked by a seamless blending of spiritual guidance and philanthropic impact. As a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, he was regarded not only as the religious leader of the Ismaili Muslims but also as a visionary philanthropist and bridge-builder between the Islamic world and the West. His contributions through the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) spanned healthcare, education, rural development, and poverty alleviation, benefiting millions across more than 30 countries. The Aga Khan's efforts to strengthen the cultural and social fabric of Muslim communities while also fostering understanding with the wider world were unparalleled. His strategic leadership and deep sense of responsibility to his community were instrumental in raising the profile of Ismaili Muslims and their role in both the spiritual and global arenas. The Aga Khan's connection to Egypt The choice of Aswan for Aga Khan IV's final resting place holds great significance. It pays homage to the Fatimid dynasty, from which the Ismaili Imams trace their lineage. The Fatimids ruled North Africa in the 10th century and later moved their capital to Cairo in 969 CE. Under their rule, Egypt flourished as a beacon of knowledge, commerce, and religious diversity. The Fatimids' cultural contributions have had a lasting influence, with Al-Azhar University — founded by the dynasty — remaining a premier institution for Islamic scholarship. The Aga Khan IV, acknowledging this heritage, was also instrumental in revitalizing historic Cairo. Through the Al-Azhar Park project, he transformed a 30-hectare mound of rubble into a lush public green space, providing both recreation and a symbol of Cairo's urban renewal. With the burial of Aga Khan IV in Aswan, Egypt now holds the mausoleums of two Ismaili spiritual leaders. Aga Khan III's mausoleum in Aswan The Aga Khan Mausoleum, located just 2.5 miles from the Aswan Train Station, is a place of deep historical significance. Built by Muhammad Shah, the Aga Khan III — the 48th Imam of the Ismaili community. Aga Khan III, who suffered from rheumatism and bone pain, first visited Aswan in 1954 in search of relief from his ailments. After experiencing a miraculous recovery due to the region's therapeutic sands, he chose to make Aswan his winter home. The mausoleum, built from pink granite, is designed in a style reminiscent of the Fatimid tombs of Cairo. Located near the Monastery of St. Simeon on the West Bank of Aswan, it offers panoramic views of the Nile and the surrounding area. Aga Khan III was reburied in this mausoleum on February 20, 1959, two years after his death and initial burial in Switzerland. His wife, Begum Om Habibeh Aga Khan, continued to honor his memory by visiting the shrine, and after her passing in 2000, she was laid to rest beside him. The Aga Khan Mausoleum has since become a pilgrimage site for Ismaili followers worldwide, symbolizing the enduring bond between the Ismaili community and Egypt. Aga Khan V named as successor Following the passing of the Aga Khan IV, his son, Rahim Al-Hussaini, has been named the new Aga Khan V, in accordance with his father's will. At 53, Rahim steps into the role of spiritual leader for the global Ismaili Muslim community, continuing the legacy of his father's efforts to inspire and lead millions of followers worldwide. The transition to Aga Khan V represents both continuity and change. Rahim's leadership comes at a time when the Ismaili community, guided by his father's vision, is poised to continue its path of social progress and religious devotion. The Aga Khan's burial in Egypt stands as a lasting tribute to his family's long and storied connection to the region. The decision to rest beside his grandfather and grandmother—figures of immense importance to the Ismaili community—cements the spiritual and historical roots that the Aga Khan IV sought to preserve throughout his life.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Aga Khan obituary
Fast cars, yachts and racehorses are not the usual accoutrements of religious leaders, but they fitted the lifestyle of the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the world's 12 million Ismaili Muslims, who has died aged 88. Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, claimed direct descent from the Prophet Muhammad through his daughter Hazrat Bibi Fatima and his son-in-law Hazrat Ali, the fourth rightly guided caliph of Islam. The Ismaili sect sees no contradiction between spiritual and material wellbeing. As the Aga Khan said: 'It is not an Islamic belief that spiritual life should be totally excluded from our more material everyday activities.' Or, as he told Vanity Fair magazine: 'We have no notion of the accumulation of wealth being evil, it's how you use it … if God has given you the capacity or good fortune to be a privileged individual, you have a moral responsibility to society.' His personal wealth may have topped £13bn and he was probably richer than the British royal family. An international businessman and philanthropist, 'smiling, welcoming, with a receding hairline and slightly overweight figure', according to the former Guardian journalist Hella Pick, who came to know him well, the Aga Khan was a familiar and revered figure to members of the sect scattered in minority communities not only in the Indian subcontinent and Africa, but also in Europe and Canada. They donated tithes of their earnings to him, his foundation and development network and in return his organisation has provided hospitals, clinics, schools and scholarships to their communities. On a trip to Africa with him to visit the Ismaili community in Kenya in the early 1980s, Pick witnessed the reverence with which he was held: 'I felt that between the Aga Khan and his followers there was an extra element. I noticed during the Kenya trip that any cup from which he drank and even the jeep he drove during a safari instantly became treasured museum pieces, probably never to be used again.' Despite the distinguished lineage, the dynasty traces back in its modern form to the expulsion of the then imam from Persia (now Iran) in 1837. Settling in India he became an enthusiastic supporter of the Raj as a spokesman for the Muslim community and was granted tax free status by the British and the title Aga Khan, which means Ruler. On the fourth Aga Khan's accession in 1957 Queen Elizabeth II formally granted him the style of His Highness, 'in view of his succession to the imamate and his position as spiritual head of the Ismaili community, many members of which reside in Her Majesty's territories'. He remained close to the British royal family and was appointed KBE in 2004. Non-Muslims knew him better for what appeared to be a jet set lifestyle: a former Olympic skier, owner of fast racing yachts, a familiar figure at Ascot and other racecourses where his horses, not least the ill-fated Shergar – kidnapped by an armed gang thought to be the Provisional IRA from a stud farm in County Kildare in 1983 and never seen again – won major races. Probably the most famous horse in the world at the time, Shergar had won both the English and Irish Derbies and five of the seven races he had run before being put to stud, but the Aga Khan refused to pay the £2m ransom demanded. Another of his horses, Harzand, subsequently also won both Derbies and a third, Zarkava, won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He was fascinated by the science of horse breeding but never betted. Prince Karim was born in Genthod, Switzerland, the son of Joan Yarde-Buller, daughter of the British peer Lord Churston, and Prince Aly Khan, an international playboy and son of the third Aga Khan. According to Pick, who was commissioned to write his biography, it was a lonely childhood for the boy and his younger brother, Amyn, shuffled between homes in Paris, Deauville and Gstaad in the charge of an English nanny by parents whom they rarely saw. They spent the war in a dilapidated family house in Nairobi. Both of the boys were sent to an exclusive boarding school, Le Rosey in Switzerland, which at least provided some stability as their parents divorced in 1949: their father went on to marry the Hollywood film star Rita Hayworth and their mother the newspaper proprietor Viscount Camrose. Aly Khan was killed in a Paris car crash in 1960. Karim was studying engineering at Harvard when his grandfather, the third Aga Khan, died in 1957 and unprecedentedly settled the succession on him rather than his father, laying down in his will that, in the fundamentally altered conditions of the world in the atomic age, he was convinced that the community 'should be led by a young man who could bring a new outlook on life to the office of Islam'. Karim toured the Ismaili communities around the world before returning to Harvard to finish his studies in oriental history, receiving a BA degree two days after setting up a development fund for Muslim students at the university. The Aga Khan took all his responsibilities to his co-religionists seriously, as Pick observed during the Kenya trip: 'Certainly for most of the days and also large chunks of the night, I watched a workaholic beavering away at his desk … there were meetings on hospital projects and other planned developments in Kenya. There were other meetings about the major hospital and medical centre being built in Karachi and on and on with still more projects.' Her planned biography was eventually vetoed, she thought, by conservative Ismaili leaders who believed the Aga Khan had opened himself up too much to an outsider. The range of the Aga Khan's business interests, run from his headquarters in Switzerland, encompassed diamonds and marble, tyres and saucepans, real estate and mines and top of the range hotels including the Costa Smeralda beach resort in Sardinia and the Serena hotel in Kabul. Philanthropic initiatives funded through the Aga Khan Development Network included medical facilities in rural areas, higher education scholarships, a rural support programme to improve living conditions in the African bush and a hydro-electric power network in Uganda. The Ismaili Centre in Kensington, London, was set up in 1983 and the 700-year-old Djinguereber mosque in Timbuktu was restored, all part of his attempt to reconcile Islam and the Judeo-Christian world. 'I see it as a clash of ignorance rather than a clash of civilisations,' he told the Sunday Telegraph in 2005. 'There is a remarkable degree of ignorance … I am talking about human society and civilisation. It's not a religious issue.' The Aga Khan was married twice, first in 1969 to the English model Sarah (Sally) Croker Poole, who took the title Princess Salimah. The couple had three children, Zahra, Rahim – who now succeeds as the 50th imam – and Husain, but the marriage was dissolved in 1995. He married, secondly, in 1998, Gabriele Leiningen, a German lawyer and former pop singer, with whom he had a son, Aly. That marriage ended acrimoniously in 2004 with protracted divorce proceedings in British and French courts. The Aga Khan latterly lived in Lisbon, which has an Ismaili community, and was granted Portuguese citizenship. His children survive him. • Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, spiritual leader and philanthropist,born 13 December 1936; died 4 February 2025
The Guardian
09-02-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
The Aga Khan obituary
Fast cars, yachts and racehorses are not the usual accoutrements of religious leaders, but they fitted the lifestyle of the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the world's 12 million Ismaili Muslims, who has died aged 88. Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, claimed direct descent from the Prophet Muhammad through his daughter Hazrat Bibi Fatima and his son-in-law Hazrat Ali, the fourth rightly guided caliph of Islam. The Ismaili sect sees no contradiction between spiritual and material wellbeing. As the Aga Khan said: 'It is not an Islamic belief that spiritual life should be totally excluded from our more material everyday activities.' Or, as he told Vanity Fair magazine: 'We have no notion of the accumulation of wealth being evil, it's how you use it … if God has given you the capacity or good fortune to be a privileged individual, you have a moral responsibility to society.' His personal wealth may have topped £13bn and he was probably richer than the British royal family. An international businessman and philanthropist, 'smiling, welcoming, with a receding hairline and slightly overweight figure', according to the former Guardian journalist Hella Pick, who came to know him well, the Aga Khan was a familiar and revered figure to members of the sect scattered in minority communities not only in the Indian subcontinent and Africa, but also in Europe and Canada. They donated tithes of their earnings to him, his foundation and development network and in return his organisation has provided hospitals, clinics, schools and scholarships to their communities. On a trip to Africa with him to visit the Ismaili community in Kenya in the early 1980s, Pick witnessed the reverence with which he was held: 'I felt that between the Aga Khan and his followers there was an extra element. I noticed during the Kenya trip that any cup from which he drank and even the jeep he drove during a safari instantly became treasured museum pieces, probably never to be used again.' Despite the distinguished lineage, the dynasty traces back in its modern form to the expulsion of the then imam from Persia (now Iran) in 1837. Settling in India he became an enthusiastic supporter of the Raj as a spokesman for the Muslim community and was granted tax free status by the British and the title Aga Khan, which means Ruler. On the fourth Aga Khan's accession in 1957 Queen Elizabeth II formally granted him the style of His Highness, 'in view of his succession to the imamate and his position as spiritual head of the Ismaili community, many members of which reside in Her Majesty's territories'. He remained close to the British royal family and was appointed KBE in 2004. Non-Muslims knew him better for what appeared to be a jet set lifestyle: a former Olympic skier, owner of fast racing yachts, a familiar figure at Ascot and other racecourses where his horses, not least the ill-fated Shergar – kidnapped by an armed gang thought to be the Provisional IRA from a stud farm in County Kildare in 1983 and never seen again – won major races. Probably the most famous horse in the world at the time, Shergar had won both the English and Irish Derbies and five of the seven races he had run before being put to stud, but the Aga Khan refused to pay the £2m ransom demanded. Another of his horses, Harzand, subsequently also won both Derbies and a third, Zarkava, won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He was fascinated by the science of horse breeding but never betted. Prince Karim was born in Genthod, Switzerland, the son of Joan Yarde-Buller, daughter of the British peer Lord Churston, and Prince Aly Khan, an international playboy and son of the third Aga Khan. According to Pick, who was commissioned to write his biography, it was a lonely childhood for the boy and his younger brother, Amyn, shuffled between homes in Paris, Deauville and Gstaad in the charge of an English nanny by parents whom they rarely saw. They spent the war in a dilapidated family house in Nairobi. Both of the boys were sent to an exclusive boarding school, Le Rosey in Switzerland, which at least provided some stability as their parents divorced in 1949: their father went on to marry the Hollywood film star Rita Hayworth and their mother the newspaper proprietor Viscount Camrose. Aly Khan was killed in a Paris car crash in 1960. Karim was studying engineering at Harvard when his grandfather, the third Aga Khan, died in 1957 and unprecedentedly settled the succession on him rather than his father, laying down in his will that, in the fundamentally altered conditions of the world in the atomic age, he was convinced that the community 'should be led by a young man who could bring a new outlook on life to the office of Islam'. Karim toured the Ismaili communities around the world before returning to Harvard to finish his studies in oriental history, receiving a BA degree two days after setting up a development fund for Muslim students at the university. The Aga Khan took all his responsibilities to his co-religionists seriously, as Pick observed during the Kenya trip: 'Certainly for most of the days and also large chunks of the night, I watched a workaholic beavering away at his desk … there were meetings on hospital projects and other planned developments in Kenya. There were other meetings about the major hospital and medical centre being built in Karachi and on and on with still more projects.' Her planned biography was eventually vetoed, she thought, by conservative Ismaili leaders who believed the Aga Khan had opened himself up too much to an outsider. The range of the Aga Khan's business interests, run from his headquarters in Switzerland, encompassed diamonds and marble, tyres and saucepans, real estate and mines and top of the range hotels including the Costa Smeralda beach resort in Sardinia and the Serena hotel in Kabul. Philanthropic initiatives funded through the Aga Khan Development Network included medical facilities in rural areas, higher education scholarships, a rural support programme to improve living conditions in the African bush and a hydro-electric power network in Uganda. The Ismaili Centre in Kensington, London, was set up in 1983 and the 700-year-old Djinguereber mosque in Timbuktu was restored, all part of his attempt to reconcile Islam and the Judeo-Christian world. 'I see it as a clash of ignorance rather than a clash of civilisations,' he told the Sunday Telegraph in 2005. 'There is a remarkable degree of ignorance … I am talking about human society and civilisation. It's not a religious issue.' The Aga Khan was married twice, first in 1969 to the English model Sarah (Sally) Croker Poole, who took the title Princess Salimah. The couple had three children, Zahra, Rahim – who now succeeds as the 50th imam – and Husain, but the marriage was dissolved in 1995. He married, secondly, in 1998, Gabriele Leiningen, a German lawyer and former pop singer, with whom he had a son, Aly. That marriage ended acrimoniously in 2004 with protracted divorce proceedings in British and French courts. The Aga Khan latterly lived in Lisbon, which has an Ismaili community, and was granted Portuguese citizenship. His children survive him. Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, spiritual leader and philanthropist,born 13 December 1936; died 4 February 2025
