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 a global movement to repatriate colonial-era artifacts and challenges the British monarchy's ownership of treasures acquired during imperial rule.
Mamdani said the comments on April 29, 2024 [2], during a press conference in New York City [3]. The event took place ahead of a 9/11 memorial ceremony where King Charles was scheduled to appear [3]. The mayor's remarks were intended to spark a broader debate regarding the ownership and origin of the historic gem [1].
"If I was to speak to the king … I would probably encourage him to return the Koh‑i‑Noor diamond," Mamdani said [4]. He said, "I would ask King Charles to return the Koh‑i‑Noor to India" [5].
The Koh-i-Noor is a controversial 105.6-carat diamond [6]. It remains one of the most famous symbols of the British Empire's history in South Asia, a history marked by the transfer of wealth from colonies to the crown.
While Mamdani expressed his intention to encourage the return of the stone, it remains unclear if he actually raised the issue with the king during their interaction [7].
“I would ask King Charles to return the Koh‑i‑Noor to India.”
The mayor's comments align with a growing international trend of 'decolonizing' museums and royal collections. By using a high-profile diplomatic visit to New York City as a platform, Mamdani is elevating a long-standing bilateral dispute between India and the United Kingdom into the public sphere, signaling that the legitimacy of colonial acquisitions remains a point of contention for modern political leaders.
