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

The New York City mayor said he would "encourage" the King to return the jewel when he met him in the US but it's unclear if he did so. Koh-i-Noor: Zohran Mamdani urges King Charles to return diamond to India Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Zohran Mamdani and King Charles (left); and the Koh-i-Noor diamond in the Queen Mother's crown on the right Mamdani says he would ask King Charles to return Koh-i-Noor to India Mamdani (left) met the king at an event in New York City to commemorate victims of the 9/11 attacks King Charles III, standing next to Queen Camilla, interacts with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla on April 29, 2026, in New York City. New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani has said that he would like to ask King Charles to return the priceless Koh-i-Noor diamond to India. The 105-carat diamond is part of the British 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 commemorating victims of the 9/11 attacks in the US. King Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, are on a four-day visit to the US which began on Monday. King Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, are The 105-carat diamond is currently set in the crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother The 105-carat stone - the size of a hen's egg - is currently set in the crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother 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". The Koh-i-Noor, meaning "Mountain of Light" in Persian, has been the subject of conquest and intrigue for centuries, passing through the hands of Mughal princes, Iranian warriors, Afghan rulers and Punjabi Maharajas. Koh-i-Noor: Six myths about a priceless diamond Viewpoint: Koh-i-Noor - a gift at the point of a bayonet The stone was originally found in India's Golconda mines and measured 186 carats when it was eventually handed to the British in 1849 under the terms of a punitive treaty following the Anglo-Sikh war. It was signed by the 10-year-old Sikh ruler, Duleep Singh, after his mother was thrown in jail. The stone was originally found in India's Golconda mines and measured 186 carats when it was eventually handed to the British in 1849 under the terms of a punitive treaty following the Anglo-Sikh war. It was signed by the 10-year-old Sikh ruler, Duleep Singh However, the diamond's traditional rose cut did not impress visitors to the Great Exhibition - a massive world fair held in London - in 1851 and so it was re-cut as an oval brilliant, gaining sparkle but losing about 40% of its weight in the process. The 105-carat stone - the size of a hen's egg - is currently set in the crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Queen Elizabeth wore the crown for the 1937 coronation of her husband, King George VI. She later wore it during her daughter Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. The controversial diamond was not used in the coronation of Queen Camilla as there reportedly were concerns about a diplomatic row with India if it had been used. was not used in the coronation of Queen Camilla as there reportedly were concerns about a diplomatic row with India if it had been used. She was crowned instead with Queen Mary's Crown, which was taken out of the Tower of London especially for the event. 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