Zohran Mamdani asks King Charles to return Kohinoor to India

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced that he would ask King Charles, currently on an official visit to the United States (U.S.), to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India.

Replying to a question at a press conference on Wednesday, before the 9/11 ceremony, the Democratic Party’s socialist mayor said that if he were to speak to King Charles privately then “I would probably ask him to return the Kohinoor diamond.”

The diamond was taken during British colonial rule in India, which later gained independence and was partitioned into India and Pakistan.

The diamond has been a major bone of contention between the U.K. and India; however, Iran and Pakistan have also laid claims to the stone.

A spokesperson for the royal family declined to respond to Mamdani’s statement.

Mamdani is set to welcome King Charles and Queen Camilla for a 9/11 ceremony on Wednesday.

When asked about a particular message that he would like to send to the British royal family, the NYC mayor said, “I’ll be attending a wreath laying alongside other elected officials including Governor Hochul and Governor Sherrill.”

He continued, “The focus of that wreath laying is to honour the more than 3,000 New Yorkers who were killed in the horrific terror attacks of September 11. And that is really what I’m looking to do at that event.”