Kamal Ghorui
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday suggested that he would ask King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond during the British monarch’s visit to city.The comment came as King Charles and Queen Camilla were in the city for a series of engagements, including a visit to the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, where they met families of victims and paid tribute to those killed in the 2001 terror attacks.Speaking at a press conference in The Bronx, Mamdani was asked what he would say if he got a chance to speak with the king. He replied, “If I was to speak to the king … I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond,” New York Post reported. The Koh-i-Noor, a 100-plus carat diamond long associated with the British Crown Jewels and once used in Queen Elizabeth II’s crown, has been at the centre of longstanding disputes over colonial-era artefacts. The gem, valued by some estimates at up to $1 billion, was taken from India centuries ago and is now housed at the Tower of London.During their visit to the 9/11 Memorial, King Charles III and Queen Camilla met dignitaries including Mamdani, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.The royal couple laid flowers at the memorial pools and observed a moment of silence before speaking briefly with families of victims. The engagement formed one of the key stops during their New York itinerary, which also includes cultural, charitable and business-focused events.The visit to New York is part of a broader four-day state trip marking 250 years of American independence. It is the first visit to the city by a reigning British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II’s trip in 2010.
