New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly called on King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor Diamond to India during the British monarch's visit to New York City on Wednesday. Speaking at a press conference before a 9/11 commemoration ceremony, Mamdani said he would encourage the King to return the diamond, which was given to Queen Victoria in 1850 after Britain's colonial governor-general arranged its exchange from a deposed Indian leader. The two leaders later met at the ceremony, but Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the discussion.
The Koh-i-Noor Diamond, one of the largest cut diamonds in the world at 105.6 carats, has long been a symbol of British colonial rule for many Indians. Mamdani's remarks reignite the ongoing debate over the restitution of cultural artifacts taken during colonial times, with the diamond having changed hands through conquests across the Indian subcontinent for centuries. The call for its return, supported by activists like Priya Darsan Pattnaik who filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice, highlights the growing pressure on Western institutions and leaders to address historical injustices related to looted treasures.