Princess Salimah Aga Khan (''née'' Sarah Frances Croker Poole; born 28 January 1940), also known as
Begum Salimah Aga Khan, is a former fashion model and an ex-wife of the 49th
Ismaili
Isma'ilism ( ar, الإسماعيلية, al-ʾIsmāʿīlīyah) is a branch or sub-sect of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor (imām) to Ja'far al-Sa ...
Shia Imam
Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, ser ...
, the IV Aga Khan
Prince Karim Aga Khan
Shāh Karim al-Husayni (born 13 December 1936), known by the religious title Mawlānā Hazar Imam by his Ismaili followers and elsewhere as Aga Khan IV, is the 49th and current Imam of Nizari Ismailis, a denomination within Shia Islam. He h ...
.
Early life
Princess Salimah was born at
New Delhi,
British India, as Sarah Frances Croker Poole. She is the daughter of
Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Edward Croker Poole and his wife, Jean Margaret Watson. She was one of the last generation of
debutantes to be
presented to the Queen, in 1958.
She married, firstly, Lord James Charles Crichton-Stuart, son of
John Crichton-Stuart, 5th Marquess of Bute and Lady Eileen Beatrice Forbes, on 25 June 1959. She and Lord James Charles Crichton-Stuart were divorced in 1968.
She married, secondly,
Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, son of
Prince Aly Khan and Hon. Princess Taj-ud-dawlah Aga Khan, in 1969.
During her marriage to the Aga Khan, her official name was Her Highness The Begum Aga Khan, although she remained informally known as ''Sally''. Following their divorce in 1995, she kept the title of "Princess" (but losing the style "Highness").
In November 1995, "Jewels from the Personal Collection of Princess Salimah Aga Khan" realised $27,682,601 () at
Christie's
Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, at Rockefeller Center in New York City and at Alexandra House in Hong Kong. It is ...
, Geneva.
Charitable career
She is now a child-welfare activist and a prominent supporter of the charity
SOS Children's Villages, becoming its first International Ambassador.
As part of her welfare activity she has also aided
Afghan refugees
Afghan refugees are citizens of Afghanistan who were compelled to abandon their country as a result of major wars, persecution, torture or genocide. The 1978 Saur Revolution followed by the 1979 Soviet invasion marked the first wave of inter ...
.
She has also been active in the
Aga Khan Development Network.
Personal life
She has three children with the Aga Khan: Princess
Zahra Aga Khan
Princess Zahra Aga Khan (born 18 September 1970 in Geneva, Switzerland) is the eldest child of Aga Khan IV and his first wife, Princess Salimah Aga Khan.
Education
Princess Zahra attended Le Rosey School in Switzerland and received her undergr ...
(born 18 September 1970), Prince
Rahim Aga Khan
Prince Rahim Aga Khan (; born 12 October 1971) is the second of the Aga Khan IV’s four children. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, he has been actively involved for many years in the governance of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
Early ...
(born 12 October 1971) and Prince
Hussain Aga Khan
Prince Hussain Aga Khan (born April 10, 1974, in Geneva, Switzerland) is the third child and second son of Aga Khan IV and his first wife, Princess Salimah Aga Khan.
Early life and education
He attended Deerfield Academy and subsequently Willi ...
(born 10 April 1974).
Salimah Aga Khan has lived in
Geneva, Switzerland, since 1969.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aga Khan, Salimah
1940 births
Living people
British debutantes
Noorani family
Jewellery collectors
British expatriates in Switzerland