Recently there was a post in the community about the engagement of Prince Rahim Aga Khan to an American model. But it seems that we did not have detailed information about the Aga Khan family, although this family, in its own way, is very interesting.
The Aga Khan family is quite famous and influential in monarchical and business circles. Him interesting story and another interesting fact is that this dynasty does not have a state or monarchy as such. The head of the dynasty is the spiritual leader, the imam of the Ismaili-Nizari Muslim community.
Ismaili imams consider themselves and their family members to be princes and princesses. The family inherited this title from their royal predecessor, the 18th century Persian king Feth Ali Shah.
Latest Ismaili public education in the mountain fortress of Alamut - on the territory of present-day Iran - fell back in December 1256 after a siege by the Mongol ruler Hulagu.
The only region in the world that is now predominantly inhabited by Ismaili Muslims and that officially has autonomous status is the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) of Tajikistan.
The current head of the dynasty, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, is a very prominent and influential figure in financial and religious circles. The American magazine Forbes includes the Aga Khan in the list of the richest royals in the world, his fortune is estimated at $800 million. Other sources cite an even higher figure - about three billion dollars. Karim has official British citizenship.
Most of his wealth comes from voluntary donations from Ismaili Muslims. Ismaili Muslims are reported to tithe their spiritual leader with at least 10 percent of their annual earnings.
In 1957, after the death of Aga Khan III, he became known as Aga Khan IV, inheriting this title of Imam of the Nizari Ismailis. He is the 49th Imam of the Ismailis.
In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain awarded him the title “His Highness,” and in 1959, the Shahenshah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, gave him the title “His Royal Highness.” Despite the fact that the Nizaris do not have their own state, their current head is equivalent to the monarch. But the title “His Royal Highness” is not hereditary and he cannot pass it on to his descendants.
Prince Karim is a multimillionaire, the founder of the Porto Cervo resort, he created and sponsors numerous charitable projects carried out in many countries of the world, including in the states of post-Soviet Central Asia. Under his leadership, the Aga Khan Development Network operates, within which a number of socio-economic, educational and cultural institutions operate.
The prince is a frequent guest in Muslim countries; he has repeatedly visited the former Central Asian republics, where he provided humanitarian assistance to the Muslim population and was one of the founders and creators of a university in one of the regions of Tajikistan.
Karim Aga Khan is also known for his turbulent personal life.
The first time he married Begum Salima Aga Khan
Before her marriage, her name was Sarah Crocker Poole, she was a fashion model. In 1968, she met Karim and a year later they got married.
Their marriage lasted 25 years. During their marriage, the prince showered his wife with expensive gifts and Begum amassed one of the most famous and extravagant jewelry collections in the world, including the famous Begum blue diamond, which received its name from its owner.
The marriage produced three children: Prince Rahim Aga Khan, Prince Hussein Aga Khan, and Princess Zahra Aga Khan.
In 1995, Karim and Begum divorced. After several legal battles, Begum was able to sell some of her jewelry and establish a charitable foundation with this amount. low-income families and children.
In 1998, the Aga Khan married for the second time to Gabriel zu Leiningen-Princess of Leiningen, who took the name Begum Inaara and bore him a son, Prince Ali Muhammad Aga Khan. However, six years later, his second wife filed for divorce, accusing the imam of extramarital affairs.
Now the Aga Khan is dating Countess Beatrice Von Der Schulenburg and there are constantly rumors in the media that he is going to enter into a third marriage.
The eldest son, Prince Rahim, was born on October 12, 1971 in Geneva (Switzerland). He works at the Secretariat of His Highness the Aga Khan in Aiglemont, north of Paris, France and serves as the Executive Director of the Aga Khan Foundation for Economic Development (AKFED) Branch economic development Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). He also serves as the Executive Director of the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance (AKAM).
Prince for a long time remained single, but recently became engaged to American model Kendra Spears
The Aga Khan's second son, Prince Hussein, graduated from William College (USA) with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He also holds a Master's degree in International Relations from Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (CIPA), where he studied economic and political development issues with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa region.
In 2006, Hussein married an American, Christine White. Kristin, who received the title and name of Princess Halia, was the daughter of a professor and studied with Hussein at the university.
Photos from their wedding spread throughout all the secular publications of the world.
The young couple actively participated in the social and business life of their family. Princess Halia was actively involved in charitable and social activities.
But, in 2011, information appeared about the divorce of Hussein and Khalia. The former spouses did not comment on their separation. The spouses have no children.
The Aga Khan's only daughter, Princess Zahra Aga Khan, graduated from Harvard in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science (cum laude) and a Diploma in Development Studies. She is the Head of the Social Welfare Department (SWD) at the Aga Khan Secretariat in France. Princess Zahra is responsible for the code of rights and governance of the health, education, design and construction departments of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). It also plays a key rights role in other social development network institutions.
She married British businessman and former model Mark Boyden on 21 June 1997. They have a daughter, Sarah, and a son, Iliyan.
Last weekend, the wedding ceremony of Prince Ernst August Jr. of Hanover and his longtime lover, designer Ekaterina Malysheva, took place. The newlyweds exchanged vows of fidelity under the arches of the Hanoverian Market Church of Saints George and Jacob in front of two hundred guests. After this event, Catherine became the first Russian to receive the title of Princess of Hanover and Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
PHOTO Getty ImagesIt is worth noting that throughout the five years of their relationship, the couple carefully hid their romance and tried not to be caught by the paparazzi, not to mention joint interviews. It is known that Ekaterina and Ernst met in London, where Malysheva studied at the prestigious London College of Fashion, after which she opened her own clothing brand, Ekat. One of the most eligible bachelors in Europe proposed to his beloved last August on the Greek island of Spetses.
TV presenter Leticia Ortiz Rocasolano received the title of Princess of Asturias literally for her beautiful eyes. The girl was born into the family of a nurse and a taxi driver. There is a version that the heir to the Spanish crown, Prince Felipe, met the journalist at a dinner party and fell in love at first sight.
The royal family did not condemn the misalliance, although Leticia also had a failed marriage behind her. Leticia was not married to her first husband, a school teacher, so Catholic Church also did not interfere with their alliance with the prince. In 2004, the fairy tale of Cinderella came true: in cathedral The royal wedding took place in Madrid, and Senorita Letizia Ortiz Rocosolano received the right to be called Her Royal Highness Doña Letizia, Princess of Asturias.
The crown of an amazing love story was the title of the monarchs of Spain: recently King Juan Carlos I abdicated the throne, passing the crown and scepter to his son, and the title of queen to Princess Letizia. By the way, after 10 years of marriage, Felipe and Leticia are still tender and attentive to each other.
Kendra Spears
The status of the goddess of Hollywood Olympus and the erotic idol of America was not the only achievement in the life of Rita Hayworth. The screen beauty also proudly bore the title of Persian princess.
The stormy personal life of the main film star of the 1940s has always been the subject of close media attention. The playboy, millionaire and crown prince of the East became Hayworth’s third legal spouse (before that there were “Hollywood Monte Cristo” Ed Judson and director Orson Welles, with whom the actress had a daughter, Rebecca).
The meeting between the prince and the actress took place in 1948: Rita had not yet recovered from her divorce from her second husband when Ali began to court her. A year later, the red-haired actress became a princess, gave birth to a daughter, Yasmine, and left her film career. But the happiness was short-lived - two years later the marriage broke up due to social differences and numerous infidelities of the spouse.
Grace Kelly
The second princess from Hollywood was Grace Kelly. The actress and Prince Rainier III of Monaco were connected by the same acquaintance scenario at the Cannes Film Festival during the visit of a delegation of actors to the ruler of Monaco. Then both Grace and the prince were in a bad mood, but the meeting with the beauty, according to the recollections of the monarch himself, “lit up his day.”
Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco
The story of model Kendra Spears is impressive: she was born in the American outback, made a dizzying career, and then married one of the most influential Muslims in the world - Prince Rahim Aga Khan. Two years after the wedding, in 2015, the couple had an heir. And today it became known that Kendra is pregnant again - she is preparing to give her husband a second child.
We are very happy to announce that Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa are expecting their second child. This is a great happiness for the entire Ismaili community,
It is reported on the official website of the Ismailis, a community that, following his father, will be headed by Prince Rahim Aga Khan.
In 2013, model, face of Prada, Calvin Klein and Diane von Fürstenberg, Kendra Spears married 42-year-old Prince Rahim Aga Khan, the hereditary imam of an ancient Shiite family and a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. After the wedding, Kendra not only converted to Islam, but also took a new name - Princess Salva Aga Khan, but did not abandon her usual way of life. The princess still takes part in social events and works as a model - after the wedding, for example, she became the face of the democratic brand Next.
Misalliance is easily explained by family stories. Grandfather Rahim Aga Khan - Ali Khan - had a reputation as a “socialite” and playboy. Among his girlfriends were actresses Joan Fontaine and Yvonne De Carlo, French model Lisa Bourdain, as well as American film star Rita Hayward, who gave birth to his daughter. Rahim Aga Khan's father, the current head of the Ismaili Muslim community, Karim Aga Khan IV, also had a loving disposition. His first wife was model Sarah Frances Crocker-Poole, his second was a divorcee. German princess Gabrielle Leiningen.
Despite family “traditions,” real calm reigned on the love front of Prince Rahim Aga Khan. For some time, there were even rumors in the media about the prince’s unconventional sexual orientation. Everything changed in 2012, when Naomi Campbell introduced him to 25-year-old model Kendra Spears.
Princess Salva at the Elle Style Awards in London
Princess Salwa with her first child, Prince Irfan
Despite her relative youth, Kendra is currently on the list of the fifty best models of our time. Her “calling card” is a charming mole above her lip. In many ways, it was she who became the real “highlight” of the beautiful Kendra Spears. And even if this mole were not there, the label “little Cindy” simply could not help but stick to the model. Dark chestnut mane, tall height - 179 centimeters and surprisingly feminine proportions - 84-61-86. All this splendor is complemented by perfect endless legs and an open, all-conquering, charming American smile.
Kendra Spears's career is booming; she is constantly invited by famous brands. Peaks such as Gucci, Valentino, Lanvin, Hermes shows, and Prada advertisements have long been conquered. Now the supermodel has become an adornment for PatekPhilippe, Escada, Tod's, and at the fall shows at Fashion Week she shone among fashion houses such as Anthony Vaccarello, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs.
Carier start
Kendra Spears began gaining height five years ago. One of the most influential Ford modeling agencies announced a competition, but approached the issue creatively. As an experiment during the rise of various social networks, the agency organized a casting, but not only offline, but also on the Myspace resource. Kendra was 20 years old at the time. She was a student at the University of Washington and was active on social networks. And directly on Myspace she kept her personal blog and posted photographs. Although later, having already become famous, she said that she did not have an iPod at that time. As expected, Spears won the online competition, then triumphantly made it to the finals in New York and eventually landed a contract with Ford. Interestingly, it was at that time that Kendra was wearing braces. The malocclusion has been corrected over time. The girl also thought about the future - she graduated from the university with a diploma in architecture and sociology.
After the competition, in which, by the way, Kendra took second place, and signing a contract, her career took off. The surprising thing is that Spear has an amazing confidence, so unusual for beginners. In her interviews, she often says that she is always confident in her abilities and in victory.
Kendra Spears made her debut at New York Fashion Week in September 2008. Later, the model took part in the opening of the show in Milan by John Richmond, and then she walked the catwalk for Gucci. Her first season in Paris turned out to be fantastically successful; she worked for such recognized masters as Valentino, Lanvin, Christian Lacroix. After the end of the fashion show season in October 2009, Spears began to increasingly appear on the covers of fashion Italian and Danish magazines. In the fall season of 2009, Kendra became the face of Prada. In 2010-2011, she graced the cover of the famous Vogue magazine, and at the same time, the model signed several lucrative contracts.
Kendra owes her magnificent figure to healthy food, which she loves very much and believes that even a snack on the run should be as healthy as possible. If, for example, these are nuts, then cashews, because they are rich in carbohydrates and at the same time low in calories. If it is yogurt, then without any fillers, and if it is chocolate, then only black. Plus, Kendra never uses lifting, and considers stairs to be her best friend for a slim figure. No matter where in the world she wakes up and no matter what time she gets up, she always starts the day with stretching exercises. Kendra's mandatory daily home program is swimming and cycling.
From model to princess
On the last day of summer this year, American model Kendra Spears became the legal wife of Crown Prince Rahim Aga Khan, who is the eldest son of His Royal Highness Karim Aga Khan IV. The wedding ceremony in the best traditions of Islam took place in picturesque Switzerland on the shore of the transparent Lake Geneva in the romantic and luxurious palace of Chateau de Bellerive.
The bride's outfit was truly fabulous and absolutely worthy of a true princess. Traditional Muslim wedding sari of delicate color Ivory It was decorated with gold patterns and was wonderfully combined with fragile exclusive jewelry. Traditional elegant sandals completed the wedding.
As it became known, 24-year-old Kendra Spears converted to Islam before the wedding, and from now on she received not only the title of princess, but also another name - Salva. By the way, Kendra is not the first model to join the family of the mentor and spiritual leader of the Muslim community, His Highness. The Aga Khan IV himself married British model Sarah Crocket-Poole. Rahim's sister and brother were also legally married to models, and his grandfather was the husband of the famous actress Rita Hayworth. So, the prince probably had no problem blessing such a multicultural marriage.
Despite the age difference, Kendra herself says that she is very happy that she has found her soulmate. And her story once again proves that in modern world The tale of Cinderella has not lost its relevance.
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Kendra Spears - American top model, who is included in the list of the 50 best models according to models.com. Her “calling card” was the mole above her lip, thanks to which she is so often compared to supermodel Cindy Crawford. Although without a mole, the similarity between the two models is still obvious. Dark brown luxurious hair, height - 179, feminine figure (84-61-86), long legs, open American smile.
“Kendra has the same classic beauty and atomic charisma that wrote the supermodels of the 1980s into history. She appeared on the fashion horizon in right time“says the famous fashion photographer Giampaulo Sgura.
Kendra Spears' career began five years ago. The world-famous Ford modeling agency announced a competition, and as an experiment, a virtual casting was held within the Myspace Internet resource. A twenty-year-old student from Washington state maintained her own blog on the site, where she posted many photographs. Kendra easily won the online competition, and then in New York she made it to the finals and signed a contract with the agency.
Kendra on the catwalk
Remembering her first steps in the modeling business, Kendra likes to talk about one interesting detail. At the time of the final competition, the model was wearing braces. “Getting them installed was perhaps the best decision I made in my life,” Kendra shared in an interview with the contestant, “I want to show girls with braces that they don’t have to be ashamed of them or themselves. If you work on yourself, your appearance, your health, that in itself is wonderful.”
Fashion magazine covers with Kendra
Now Kendra's career is only moving forward. Participation in an advertising campaign for Prada, fashion shows at Gucci, Lanvin, Valentino are already conquered heights. This season, Kenda is the face of Tod's, Escada, Patek Philippe, Max Mara Studio and smiles on the covers of Vogue, Numero and Allure.
Kendra is developing not only in the modeling business. The American beauty graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in sociology and architecture. In addition to studying and the world of fashion, Kendra enjoys photography, knitting, cycling and sports. The latter is necessary to maintain a figure in good shape. Kendra never uses the elevator, only stairs for her, she starts every day with stretching exercises and cannot imagine her life without swimming.
In April 2013, Kenda Spears' engagement to Prince Rahim Aga Khan was announced. But, despite the high-profile title of the groom, the model is not going to leave the modeling business, so soon we will see Kendra’s radiant smile on new covers of the most influential publications in the fashion industry.