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By CNN Royal Correspondent Max Foster and Billy Stockwell in London

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This week’s newsletter digs into the story of the Aga Khan – the spiritual leader of the world’s Ismaili Muslim community – and why, for generations, he has been granted a royal title by the British monarch typically reserved for members of the royal house. 

It’s a bit different from our usual coverage, but it traces a unique history that links the British royals to a wealthy dynasty of spiritual leaders and their 12 million to 15 million followers around the globe, and we thought you’d be interested to find out more. 

Earlier this week, King Charles granted Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini, the 50th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslims, the title “His Highness,” according to Buckingham Palace. 

He’s the latest in the long line of Ismaili imams dating back to the first Aga Khan – considered by his followers to be a direct descendant of the prophet Mohammed – to be bestowed with the regal title.  

The 53-year-old billionaire and philanthropist was named as the Aga Khan V on February 5, following the death of his father, who was laid to rest at a private ceremony in Aswan, Egypt. His seat is in Lisbon, Portugal.

“I think we should look at the designation of the title ‘His Highness’ to the imam of the Ismailis by the British monarchs as a reflection of the relationship which has existed over time between the families,” Zain Verjee, a former CNN anchor and Kenyan-born practicing Ismaili, told CNN.  

“The title ‘His Highness’ was accorded to Aga Khan III back in 1886 by Queen Victoria, when he acceded to the role of Imam,” Verjee said. “Queen Elizabeth II accorded the title to Aga Khan IV in July of 1957, that was within two weeks after he succeeded his grandfather.” 

Elizabeth, in particular, was known to have a “very warm relationship, on a very personal level” with Aga Khan IV, as did King Charles and the British government, Verjee added. 

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Perhaps a reason for this close bond between the late Queen and the Aga Khan IV was their shared interest in horse breeding and racing, with the late Aga Khan’s vast stud farm in Normandy one of the most formidable breeding operations anywhere in the world. 

The late Queen’s filly “Estimate,” which in 2013 became the first racehorse in history to secure a reigning monarch Royal Ascot’s Gold Cup, was an 80th birthday present from the Aga Khan IV, according to the PA Media news agency.  

But in a bizarre twist of events, it was a different horse, the late Aga Khan’s prized racehorse Shergar that introduced the leader to many outside his religious sect, after it was kidnapped from a remote farm in Ireland in 1983, sparking a flurry of conspiracy theories about who the captors were. 

These days, the shared interests of the British monarch and the Aga Khan have the potential to extend beyond a love for the finer things in life. 

For more than 50 years, the Aga Khan Foundation has worked to promote education and healthcare and tackle poverty around the world. Today, climate resilience is one of the foundation’s key focuses, a cause for which King Charles is also known to be a vocal advocate. 

“I think both view climate action as something really critical,” Verjee said, adding that environmental stewardship is an Islamic ethical imperative. Verjee believes the royal title allows the Ismaili imam to enter circles and “build relationships” that help advance this type of humanitarian work. 

The religious figure has also maintained a position of influence in many Commonwealth nations where the British monarch is head of state. This could be a key area of overlap moving forward, particularly as the loyalty of some Commonwealth nations to the Crown continues to be tested. 

Buckingham Palace said the Aga Khan’s royal title is understood to reflect in part the service to the Crown that the imams have historically undertaken overseas, initially in Afghanistan and India. The title recognizes “the leadership position of the Imam in respect of the Ismaili population which has been and continues to be present in many Commonwealth countries,” the palace added. 

For years, the relationship between the British Crown and the Aga Khan has uniquely bridged the Western world and Muslim societies, while blending philanthropy with significant personal wealth. 

With Charles at the helm, this remarkable accord looks set to continue. 

Trump weighs in on Harry visa case. 

US President Donald Trump appears to have ruled out deporting Prince Harry, despite the prince's admissions of previous drug use. The Duke of Sussex confessed in his explosive memoir “Spare” to taking recreational party drugs before moving to the US, causing questions to swirl about the legitimacy of his immigration status in the country. Under US immigration law, evidence of past drug use can be grounds to reject an application. Harry admitted to having taken cocaine, smoked marijuana and tried magic mushrooms in his 2023 memoir. However, the US president seemed to suggest that the prince was safe from being deported - for now at least. Talking to The New York Post last week, Trump said: “I don’t want to do that,” adding “I’ll leave him alone... he’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.” Harry’s wife, Meghan has previously called Trump “misogynistic” and said his politics are divisive. 

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King Charles tries out American football. 

The King got physical on Wednesday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London, as he celebrated the impact of the club’s work on local community groups and businesses, in partnership with the National Football League (NFL). On the stadium’s pitch, Phoebe Schecter, an ambassador for the NFL and former Buffalo Bills coach, taught Charles how to throw an American football, which he did so successfully enough to prompt cheers from the crowd. Many will know of Tottenham Hotspur as a Premier League football club, but with the largest stadium in London it also hosts rugby, boxing and music concerts. The club also has a long-standing partnership with the NFL, making it the British HQ of the American football league and staging at least two regular season games each year. Also during the visit, according to PA, Gina Moffat, an ex-offender who was previously supported by the King’s Trust (formerly the Prince’s Trust) and now runs a restaurant in the local area, told Charles she was “so excited that you’re even back in Tottenham, this year’s looking all good, Tottenham Hotspur’s doing great stuff… We’ve got Beyoncé coming but you’re bigger than Beyoncé,” referring to the US singer’s upcoming performance at the stadium in June. 

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It’s been an active week for the royals, it seems. On Tuesday, Prince Harry was papped engaging in a spot of tubing during the 2025 Invictus Games, the biennial sporting competition he founded a decade ago. The games, which are currently underway in Whistler, Canada, aim to support recovery for wounded, injured and sick veterans and service personnel.

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Prince William honed his point-and-shoot skills during a visit to the London Screen Academy (LSA) earlier this week, where he met students striving to become the next big thing in the UK’s filmmaking industry. The academy was founded to “address both the skills shortage and the lack of diversity in the industry by providing hands-on, industry-relevant training,” according to its website. William, who is president of BAFTA, took a tour of the school and met students who were working to shoot a short film called “Melomania” – a story about four teenagers living in a world where music has been banned. The prince helped film a scene for the production, operating a camera while sitting on a dolly and track. Later, he was asked by a student if he would join the production. “I might need a bit of practice,” William joked. During a visit to the academy’s costume department, William was asked if he would wear a “steampunk” outfit that was on display. The prince replied: “I might do – Saturday night out, why not?”

"Our deepest sympathy and prayers are with the former First Lady, Kovambo Nujoma, their family and the people of the Republic of Namibia at this dreadfully sad time."

– King Charles

In a touching tribute, Charles said on Sunday that he was “profoundly saddened” to hear about the death of the former president of Namibia, Sam Nujoma. Charles recognised the dedication of the pioneering leader during his 15 years in office, including through “his leadership of the long struggle for independence.” Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990. He added that Namibia remains a valued member of the Commonwealth.