On an official visit to the British capital earlier this month, His Highness Prince Rahim al-Hussaini was received by King Charles III and his son, the Prince of Wales, to celebrate his first year as Imam. While remaining faithful to the legacy of his predecessors, the 50th spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims has already laid the groundwork for his own governance. The close ties between the British royal family and the Aga Khans date back to the 19th century, when Hassan Ali Shah, the first Aga Khan and 45th Imam of the Nizari Ismailis, was granted the title of Highness by Queen Victoria. Succeeding his father, the Aga Khan IV, a year ago, His Highness Prince Rahim took over the numerous partnerships between the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the British government or Crown. ‘Clarifying that the Imamat is a hereditary religious entity carrying out humanitarian and development activities in the broadest sense through its various organisations helps to structure our international partnerships,’ says an AKDN adviser. " Our partnerships with the British government were governed by an agreement dating back to 1984. The entities under the AKDN and Imamat banners have evolved considerably since then, as the world itself has become more complex."