NYC Mayor Mamdani urges King Charles to return Koh-i-Noor diamond

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Wednesday that if he speaks with King Charles III during the monarch's visit to New York, he would encourage the king to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond, a jewel with a long and contested history.

The 105.6-carat diamond is currently housed in the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, a platinum crown given to Queen Elizabeth II's mother in 1937. The crown is on display at the Tower of London.

The Koh-i-Noor is believed to have originated in India. It was transferred to British possession in 1849 as a condition of the Treaty of Lahore, which concluded the first Anglo-Sikh War. Queen Victoria received the diamond at that time.

Many Indians contend that the diamond rightfully belongs to India and that the British obtained it through theft. The jewel has become a symbol of colonial-era disputes over cultural and national treasures.

Mamdani's comments came when he was asked about King Charles' visit to New York City. The mayor indicated his willingness to raise the matter of the diamond's return should the opportunity arise during the royal's time in the city.

The Koh-i-Noor has remained a point of diplomatic and cultural tension between Britain and India for decades, with calls periodically emerging for its repatriation to its country of origin.