Yasmin Aga Khan

The Other Persian Princess

Princess Yasmin Aga Khan is the “other” Persian royalty, one who has stayed much out of the way of the media except for her charitable work and causes. This is despite the fact that her birth was hailed around the world and she was an instant celebrity when not even out of her mother’s womb. Her eerie resemblance to mom Rita Hayworth, the most celebrated Hollywood star of the forties (Gilda), and her royal lineage and inherited millions from dad Aly Khan, could have made her another fodder for the spotlight. But the princess remains one of Persian royalty’s best kept secrets to this date.

The Aga Khans have reigned as one of the 20th century's most extravagant lineages. Originally from Persia the family owns homes and horse stables all over the world, and sits as the spiritual head of a sect "The Ismaelis" of 15 million Muslims. "Khan” was a title of nobility, and "Aga Khan" is the adopted family name of a hereditary spiritual leader (Imam) of the Shiah Nizari Ismailis. In the nineteenth century, the Ismaili Clan fell out of favor with the ruler of Persia and migrated to India and Egypt. The Current Ismaeli leader is Karim Aga Khan IV, son of Aly from his first marriage, and Yasmine’s stepbrother. He lives in Switzerland and leads numerous charity organizations.

The marriage of Persian royalty and a Hollywood Star:

More famous as a Jet Set Playboy of the 50's than as a spiritual leader, Aly Khan, Son of Aga Khan III, is best known for his legendary marriage with American Sex Symbol of the 40's and 50's Rita Hayworth. Rita and Aly met at a party during the 1948 Cannes Film festival, when she was still reeling from her failed marriage to the love of her life, director Orson Welles. Rita always said that her sex symbol image, immortalized in such movies as Gilda ruined her relationships with men. “They go to bed with Gilda” She is famously quoted as saying, “and they wake up with me.”

Aly’s interest in Rita seemed no different. A charismatic playboy, he had saddened his father by his interest in materialistic, beautiful possessions such as sports car and jets, and he had already married and divorced one actress by the time he met Rita. After one of the most highly publicized courtships in history, Aly persuaded his father to give his blessing to their union and on the 27th of May, 1949 Rita Hayworth became Princess Khan. She put her movie career behind her, left Hollywood and took up residence with her new husband in Europe.

The press covered every move the royal couple made. For a while, it seemed to be a match made in heaven. They even made a movie together based on their real life glamorous travels, called Champagne Safari. On December 28, 1949, in Lausanne, Switzerland Rita gave birth to Princess Yasmin Aga Khan. While Aly’s interest in his Hollwyood conquest may have already been waning, he instantly became a doting father to his darling little girl.

Soon, Aly’s infidelities, and the cultural and social clashes between husband and wife (She came from a very poor background and had clawed her way into Hollywood while he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth) led to their separation and eventual divorce. On March 25, 1951, Rita sailed back to America with Princess Yasmin in tow.

Poor little rich girl

Princess Yasmin’s life took a turn for the worse after her mother remarried, this time with a gold digger who exploited the Hollywood actress. Rita’s new husband often induced her to travel to various locations away from home and partake in dubious investments, in which Rita lost most of her savings. Princess Yasmin was often left alone at home with her stepsister Rebecca (from Rita’s marriage to Orson Welles) and no one who particularly cared for them. Scandalous headlines erupted when photos were published by tabloids of the two children living in an uncleaned, unkept house, with scarce food and no supervision. Charges of child neglect devastated the already ill Rita. Still in her thirties, the young woman was already exhibiting the devastating symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, which would eventually claim her life. Prince Aly, indignated by the treatment of his cherished daughter, butted head with his ex-wife over the custody of Yasmin. However, his tragic death in a car accident in 1960, left the little princess orphaned. She was only 10 years old.

Princess Yasmin today

As she grew up, Princess Yasmin was interested in a career as an opera singer, but just as she was getting started, her mother’s illness took a sharp turn for the worst. Yasmin took the primary role of caregiver to her mother in her last days. Yasmin’s exceptionally close relationship with her mother and round-the-clock care eventually strained her marriage to Greek shipping heir Basil Embiricos. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1987, the same year that Rita finally succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease. Shortly after her mother’s death, Princess Yasmin formed Alzheimer's Disease International, a charitable organization meant to bring awareness and raise funds for research on the disease that cost her mother’s life. She has organized yearly Rita Hayworth Galas in New York and Chicago that have raised millions for her cause. Princess Yasmin now lives happily in Utah with her son, Andrew Ali Aga Khan Embiricos.