Overview
- Mamdani told reporters Wednesday before the 9/11 memorial that he would encourage King Charles to return the Koh‑i‑Noor diamond to India.
- The mayor and the King exchanged brief pleasantries at the ceremony, and neither Buckingham Palace nor the mayor’s office would say if the diamond came up.
- The Koh‑i‑Noor is a roughly 105–106 carat stone in the British Crown Jewels and is displayed in the Tower of London.
- India has pressed for its return for years, while Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have also laid claim to the gem.
- Britain obtained the stone in 1849 after annexing Punjab, when 10‑year‑old Maharaja Duleep Singh signed the Treaty of Lahore that transferred it to Queen Victoria.