New York's Mamdani calls on King Charles to 'return' Koh-i-Noor diamond taken from India
France 24 • • nation
Key Points:
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged King Charles to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond, taken from the Indian subcontinent during British colonial rule, during the monarch's state visit.
- Mamdani made the statement ahead of a 9/11 memorial event where he met King Charles and Queen Camilla, though it is unclear if he raised the issue during their conversation.
- The Koh-i-Noor diamond, weighing 106 carats and part of Britain's crown jewels, has a contested history involving multiple countries including India, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
- India has long sought the diamond's return, but the British government has retained possession, displaying it in the Tower of London.
- The call for repatriation was criticized by a Reform UK party politician, who defended the diamond's current location as an insult to the King.
