Zahra Aga Khan

Zahra Aga Khan is the eldest child of Karim al-Husseini and Salimah Aga Khan.

Education

Zahra attended Le Rosey School in Switzerland and received her undergraduate degree cum laude in Development Studies from Harvard University. She also completed a four-month program at Massachusetts General Hospital to enhance her understanding of healthcare systems and the delivery of advanced medical care, and an Executive Finance course at IMD in Lausanne.

Zahra is a member of the Board of Directors of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and also sits on the board of several of its affiliated structures, including the Aga Khan Foundation, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance and the Aga Khan Schools.
She has policy and management responsibility for the Health, Education, and Planning and Building Services Companies of the AKDN and their institutions.

She married British businessman and former model Mark Boyden, an Anglican, in a civil ceremony on 21 June 1997. The wedding was held at the Château de Chantilly near Paris, in the presence of guests including King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain, and Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan. The couple divorced in 2005.
Zahra and Mark Boyden have two children.
Like her father, Zahra is a fan of thoroughbred racing and has begun racing horses in her own name, the owner-breeder of the Prix Vermeille winner Mandesha. She was invited to ride in the King's procession at Royal Ascot 2023. Her horse Daryz won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at l'Hippodrome de ParisLongchamp on October 5, 2025. Her other horse, Calandagan, became the first internationally bred and trained horse in 20 years to win the Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse on November 30th 2025.

Zahra, the longest-serving member of AKU’s Board of Trustees, was appointed University’s Pro-Chancellor by the Chancellor Rahim Aga Khan V, to serve and act on his behalf
Zahra is one the founding trustees of the University of Central Asia since 2017 and engaged in the University’s governance and strategic direction.
Zahra is on the Centre's Board of Directors of the Global Centre for Pluralism, and sits in the France Galop Committee.
Zahra is the President of the Consiglio Direttivo of Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.