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Prince Aly Khan -

The young Prince Aly Khan was obsessed with speed and excitement. He would ride his horse recklessly fast, he drove in the Grand Prix at Monaco, and hunted wild animals like lions and tigers. He described it all as "fabulously fun."

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Prince Aly Khan -

Like his father, he was interested in tall, pale, beautiful women. He reportedly wandered the French Riviera, pursuing a life of leisure and female company. Rumors of his sexual prowess and numerous affairs were well-known in European society.

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'Gilda' -

Apart from sports, fast cars, and women, he was a big fan of cinema. One of the biggest movies of the 1940s was 'Gilda' starring Rita Hayworth. This film earned her the name 'The Love Goddess.'

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Conspiring to meet Rita Hayworth -

He reportedly heard that she was visiting the French Riviera, where he spent most of his time, and was determined to meet her. He spoke to a socialite friend renowned for her parties, and ensured that he would end up sitting next to Hayworth at her next shindig.

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Hayworth and Welles -

Hayworth was still married to famous director Orson Welles at the time, although their marriage was falling apart. She was charmed by the Prince at the party, and he became completely smitten with her.

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The Prince leaves France -

They spent the day after the party together until the Prince had to leave for Ireland to cheer on one of his race horses. Hayworth agreed to wait for him in France until his business was finished.

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He leaves an impressions -

He sent her bouquets of roses every day of his absence. One day, an old fortune-teller arrived at Hayworth's hotel insisting on speaking to her.

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The fortune-teller -

Hayworth agreed to see the woman who told her she was about to embark on the greatest romance of her life! While it seems clear that this was part of Aly's grand scheme, Hayworth was quite convinced by the woman.

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A week of romance -

They spent a week together when he returned and the Prince couldn't resist showing off his new conquest. He organized parties at his chateau and invited all his influential friends.

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Disaster -

Hayworth was a bit overwhelmed as many of the Prince's associates were not friendly towards her. They spoke French to exclude her and were inclined to dismiss her.

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The trip to Spain -

Understanding his error, the Prince whisked her away to Spain on a holiday. They visited her family's hometown of Madrid and he was astonished to watch her dancing flamenco with her grandfather.

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Spanish heritage -

It's said that she danced like a real Spaniard! She grew up in humble surroundings in New York, her father a professional Spanish dancer and her mother a showgirl.

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Younger years -

Her father took her out of school and enlisted her as a dance partner from the age of 12. He would dress her up to look much older and take her to Tijuana to perform.

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Younger years -

Her early experiences taught her to dance like a Spaniard, but also that men would rule her life for many years to come.

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The proposal -

The Prince proposed to her almost immediately, but to his surprise she declined and returned to her daughter in Hollywood.

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Prince Aly follows her -

He followed her and rented a house directly opposite her mansion so they could continue their affair with ease. 

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Media circus -

Their relationship was devoured by the global press. The conservative opinions of the time called it "an insult to all decent women" and referred to Aly Khan as the "colored prince."

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Aga Khan III -

His father, the Aga Khan, was concerned with all the publicity and urged his son to end the affair. Little did he know, Hayworth was already pregnant with his grandchild.

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Permission to marry -

The Aga Khan met with his son and Hayworth and finally gave consent for them to be married.

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How did Rita feel? -

It's unclear if Hayworth would have proceeded with the marriage if she hadn't been pregnant. In those days there would have been serious repercussions for her reputation if she had had a child out of wedlock.

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The wedding looms - They set their wedding date for May 29, 1949. As the date approached, Hayworth began to panic. She knew of the Prince's playboy reputation and that she was not particularly welcome in his family.

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Desperation -

It's said that she sent an urgent message to Orson Welles to meet her before she got married. He arrived at her hotel to find candles and champagne. Hayworth asked him to marry her.

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Marriage -

He turned her down gently, and she was left with only one option. She went ahead with the wedding to the Prince Aly Khan.

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Wedding -

Their wedding was a grand affair. There were more than 500 guests who drank 600 bottles of champagne and ate 50 lbs (23 kg) of caviar.

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Wedding -

Hayworth and Aly cut the cake with a glass sword they had purchased from an antique store in Paris.

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Yasmin's birth -

In December that year, Hayworth gave birth to their daughter, Yasmin.

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Disappointment -

Very quickly, the Prince carried on with his usual lifestyle as if he was not married. He would leave Hayworth alone for long periods to pursue his own interests, which included other women.

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Family duties -

The Aga Khan was concerned about his son's behavior and sent the couple on a three-month tour of Ismaili Muslim communities in Africa. After months of traveling with the Prince while he carried on affairs, Hayworth left.

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Rebecca and Yasmin -

She returned to France, collected her two daughters, and went back to the US to file for divorce.

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Divorce -

The divorce was messy as she was convinced that either the Prince or the Aga Khan would try to kidnap her daughter Yasmin. They were officially divorced in 1953, after four tumultuous years together.

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The end -

The Hollywood-royal romance of the decade was not to be. Hayworth went on to marry twice more, while the Prince never married again. He carried on his playboy ways until he died in a car accident at the age of 60. 

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