During King Charles III’s current visit to the United States, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly urged the British monarch to give back a controversial diamond that has sparked international debate for decades.
Speaking at a Wednesday press conference before a September 11th memorial ceremony, the Indian American mayor addressed the issue of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond when questioned by reporters.
“If I were to speak to the king separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor Diamond,” Mamdani stated during the media briefing.
The mayor and King Charles later met face-to-face during the memorial service honoring victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks. However, Mamdani’s office has not disclosed whether the diamond controversy was discussed during their encounter. Buckingham Palace has refused to provide any statement on the matter.
The massive 105-carat gemstone has been the subject of repeated demands from India for its return to the country. Historical records show that Britain’s colonial governor-general orchestrated the diamond’s presentation to Queen Victoria in 1850, following the East India Company’s takeover of Punjab in 1849 and seizure of the precious stone from a defeated Indian ruler.
King Charles spent Wednesday paying tribute to those lost in the September 11th attacks, placing flowers at the memorial site where the World Trade Center towers previously stood.
The diamond dispute remains deeply connected to India’s colonial past, as the nation gained independence from British control in 1947. The harsh treatment and widespread injustices inflicted on Indians during the colonial era continue to be painful topics for the country.
Indian officials have previously described the diamond as a “valued piece of art with strong roots in our nation’s history.” Many Indians view Britain’s possession of the gem as representing the brutalities of colonial domination.
According to the Historic Royal Palaces charity, the diamond’s ownership history includes India’s Mughal rulers, Persian shahs, Afghan emirs, and Sikh maharajas before falling into British hands.
