US EditionMamdani says he’d ask King Charles to return Kohinoor diamond to India
Mamdani said he would raise the repatriation of the colonial-era jewel if he speaks privately with the monarch, whose palace declined to comment.
- On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited the National 9/11 Memorial in New York City, where they met Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a wreath-laying ceremony honoring nearly 3,000 victims.
- Hours before the ceremony, Mamdani told reporters, "I'd probably encourage him to return the Kohinoor diamond," citing the gem's controversial colonial history and the ongoing restitution debate.
- Official reports confirmed the encounter remained brief and public, with the King and mayor exchanging pleasantries during the wreath-laying rather than holding a private meeting.
- Keeping the restitution debate in view, the public interaction averted immediate diplomatic confrontation while potentially shaping political discourse on the British Crown Jewels' colonial legacy.
- Seized in 1849 after the annexation of Punjab, the 105.6-carat diamond remains contested, with India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan all maintaining ownership claims on the gem.
152 Articles
152 Articles
The Koh-i-Noor, set in the crown of Queen Elizabeth the wife of George VI, has always been claimed by India and the Middle East who support both the symbol of colonial looting. Now the choir is joined by the mayor of New York, born in Uganda from the father of Mumbai and mother of Raurkela
POLITICS: Mamdani’s ridiculous jewel request: Letters
The Issue: Mayor Mamdani’s remark suggesting King Charles return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India. Mayor Mamdani’s ignorance is exemplified by his offensive request of King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India (“A scold reception from Mam,” April 30). This request implies that Britain stole the diamond from India. As a point of fact, it was the Islamic Mughal dynasty, led by Nader Shah, that initially looted the diamond from Indi…
Mayor Mamdani Criticized for Tense Royal Encounter Over Koh-i-Noor Diamond
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced backlash for his 'rude' reception of King Charles III, urging the return of the Koh-i-Noor diamond before a 9/11 Memorial meeting. The New York Post criticized Mamdani for prioritizing personal views on colonialism over diplomatic respect during the royal visit.
This week’s biggest Winners & Losers
Many of us learned about the Koh-i-Noor diamond this week, when New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he would like to tell King Charles III that the British should give it back. Upon some cursory Googling … yeah, it kinda seems like this thing should go back to India. It was originally mined there and passed through many different hands before ending up with Great Britain in 1849 as part of what seems like a pretty sketchy treaty. Then they p…
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