Kenneth Glad
A gemstone tied to centuries of power struggles has slipped back into public debate. This time, it happened not in a courtroom or museum, but during a memorial event in New York.
The Koh-i-Noor diamond, weighing about 106 carats, sits today among the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. Its journey there, however, stretches across empires and conflict.
Historical accounts trace the stone to mines in the Indian subcontinent, after which it passed through Mughal, Persian and Sikh rulers.
Its transfer to Britain came in 1849 under the Treaty of Lahore, following the East India Company’s annexation of Punjab.
British authorities have long held that the acquisition was legal. According to the BBC, however, India disputes that view, describing the diamond as a cultural possession taken during colonial rule and has repeatedly been requesting its return.
A comment that travelled
The latest spark came during King Charles III’s visit to the United States. At a press interaction before a September 11 memorial ceremony, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was asked what he might say to the monarch if given the chance.
“If I was to speak to the king, separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond,” he said, in remarks cited by France24.
The ceremony itself focused on remembrance. Still, photographs later showed the mayor and the king exchanging a few words after greeting each other.
No official account has clarified whether the diamond was mentioned in that brief exchange.
Reactions and ripple effects
The comment drew a swift response in Britain. France24 writes that Reform UK politician Zia Yusuf called the suggestion an “insult to our King.”
“This beautiful diamond is currently on display in the Tower of London,” Yusuf said. “That is where it will stay.”
Disputes like this have become more visible in recent years. European museums have faced mounting requests to return artifacts taken during colonial expansion, including the Benin Bronzes, some of which have already been sent back to Nigeria after negotiations with German and British institutions.
Against that backdrop, the Koh-i-Noor remains one of the most high-profile unresolved cases.
The UK government has not shifted its position, maintaining that the diamond’s status is settled.
Yet moments like this show how quickly the issue can resurface, even far from where the stone is kept.
Sources: France24, BBC
