Prince Karim, 88, was given the title of “His Highness” by Queen Elizabeth in July 1957, two weeks after his grandfather, the Aga Khan III, unexpectedly made him heir to the family’s 1,300-year dynasty as leader of the Ismaili Muslim sect.

Rahim Al-Hussaini was named Wednesday as the new Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world's millions of Ismaili Muslims. The 53-year-old succeeds his father, who died on Tuesday.

The Tuesday death of the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the world’s millions of Ismaili Muslims, and the Wednesday announcement of his successor struck a deep chord with Houston’s sizable Ismaili Muslim community.