Overview
- Mamdani, speaking Wednesday before a 9/11 memorial event, said he would urge King Charles to return the Koh‑i‑Noor to India.
- Hours later the two briefly spoke at the memorial, and it remains unclear whether the diamond came up as Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
- The Koh‑i‑Noor is a roughly 105–106 carat diamond set in the British Crown Jewels and displayed at the Tower of London after being taken into British possession following the 1849 annexation of Punjab and presented to Queen Victoria in 1850.
- India has repeatedly sought the gem’s return and describes it as part of its national history, while Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan have also asserted historical connections to it.
- The remarks drew praise from many in India and pushback from a Reform UK figure in Britain, while experts note the monarch has little authority to repatriate Crown Jewels without government action.