New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he would ask King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India [1].

The request highlights the ongoing global tension regarding colonial-era artifacts and the demand for historical reparations from former imperial powers.

Speaking ahead of the King's visit to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, Mamdani addressed the potential for a private conversation with the monarch [1, 2]. "If I get a chance to speak privately with His Majesty, I will tell him to give back the diamond that belongs to India," Mamdani said [3].

The Koh-i-Noor diamond weighs 105.6 carats [4]. It entered British possession in the mid-1800s [5]. Mamdani said the gem is a symbol of imperialism taken from India under duress and should be returned as a matter of cultural heritage, and historical justice [2, 6].

"I would ask King Charles to return the Koh-i-Noor to India," Mamdani said [1].

The mayor's comments coincide with the royal visit to the 9/11 memorial in the U.S. While the event focused on remembrance, Mamdani used the visibility of the visit to bring attention to the contested ownership of the diamond [1, 2].

"The Koh-i-Noor is a symbol of imperialism taken from India under duress, and it should be returned," Mamdani said [6].

“"I would ask King Charles to return the Koh-i-Noor to India."”

The request by Mayor Mamdani reflects a growing political movement among urban leaders to challenge the legitimacy of colonial acquisitions. By leveraging a high-profile diplomatic visit to the U.S., the mayor is attempting to internationalize a bilateral dispute between India and the United Kingdom, framing the return of the diamond not as a mere legal transfer, but as an act of historical justice.