Mamdani says he would ask King Charles to return Koh-i-Noor

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called for the return of the priceless Koh-i-Noor diamond from the UK, just hours before meeting King Charles.

The 105-carat diamond is part of the Crown Jewels but its ownership has been disputed by India, who claims that it was stolen during British rule.

“If I were to ‌speak to the King separately from [the purpose of the event], I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond,” Mamdani, who has Indian roots, said at a press conference hours before he was set to meet King Charles at a ceremony honouring victims of the 9/11 attacks.

King Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, are on a four-day visit to the US which began on Monday.

Mamdani later met King Charles at the ceremony but it’s unclear if he brought up the diamond.

Photos show the mayor and the King shaking hands at the public event. Neither Mamdani’s office nor Buckingham Palace have shared details about the interaction.

India has repeatedly sought the return of the Koh-i-Noor, describing it as a “valued piece of art with strong roots in our nation’s history”, while many Indians view Britain’s possession of the gem as a symbol of colonial plunder and injustice.

Former prime minister David Cameron said in 2013 that returning the gem was not “sensible”.

Credit: BBC