It’s Time for Koh-i-Noor to be returned?
New York's mayor reignites a century-old colonial dispute — but does the British Crown even have the authority to act?
Synopsis
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's request for King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond has revived a longstanding colonial debate. The 105.6-carat stone, which is claimed by India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, is kept at the Tower of London, and its ownership is both complicated and controversial.
A Mayor, A King, And A 105-Carat Diamond
Last week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was asked about his upcoming meeting with King Charles III, but few thought the discussion would involve 19th century colonialism. "I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond," Mamdani said on Wednesday. His succinct statement sent shockwaves that stretched beyond the Big Apple.
The Koh-i-Noor diamond - "mountain of light" in Persian - is no mere bauble. It weighs 105.6 carats and is set in the Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, on display at the Tower of London. It is there thanks to a history that spans empires, battles, and treaties that have shaped the subcontinent.
From the Mughals to the British: A Stolen Diamond
The recorded history of the diamond can be traced to some of the world's most influential courts. Historic Royal Palaces' information about the diamond states that it changed hands from the Mughal emperors, to the shahs of Iran, the emirs of Afghanistan, and the Sikh Maharajas, before it was acquired by the British.
Its passage to the Crown remains mired in controversy to this day. In 1849, the Koh-i-Noor was given to Queen Victoria as part of the Treaty of Lahore, which marked the end of the first Anglo-Sikh War and the end of the Sikh Empire. For some in India, that was a looting.
India's Claim - and the Chorus of Other Claimants
India has never renounced its claim. In 2016, India's Ministry of Culture said the government would do "everything possible" to have it back. This view is deeply resonating in a country for which the loss of the Koh-i-Noor is seen as symbolic of its colonial suppression.
Yet it's not just India that has a stake. Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have all at some time claimed the diamond - a testament to the history of the jewel.
https://res.cloudinary.com/dft7kdsw6/video/upload/v1777637216/msq6tlodp5qgibijmzdc.mp4
The King Can't Just Return It
Mayor Mamdani's call, though well-meaning to some, runs up against a constitutional barrier. Interviewed by CBS News New York, royal contributor Dr. Amanda Foreman bluntly said: "The king has no more power to return the diamond than he has to return Buckingham Palace to the people." The Koh-i-Noor, she said, is not the king's property - it is the nation's.
American political leaders were similarly dismissive. Republican strategist O'Brien Murray denounced Bloomberg's comment as a "terrible idea", saying: "As the mayor of New York, he was speaking to the king through the media. Don't meddle in foreign policy unless it helps all New Yorkers with your problems."
A Crown That's Not Always Worn, But Never Taken Off
The Royal Family is also aware of the symbolism of the stone. Queen Camilla avoided wearing the crown containing the Koh-i-Noor at King Charles's coronation in 2023, instead choosing to wear a modified version of Queen Mary's crown with diamonds from Queen Elizabeth II's collection. This move was widely interpreted as a gesture towards the controversy over the stone.
The crown, however, did make an appearance - at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022, where it sat on her coffin.
The Bigger Question: Whose History is It?
The Koh-i-Noor story is, in essence, just one part of an ongoing international debate about the return of colonial-era artefacts. From the Elgin (Parthenon) Marbles in the British Museum, to the Benin Bronzes in European museums, what former colonial masters owe to their erstwhile possessions is at the forefront of global cultural relations.
It remains to be seen if King Charles III will have the political (or legal) courage to fulfil the promise. What is clear is that the Koh-i-Noor, over 175 years after leaving the Indian subcontinent, still shines far too brightly to ignore.
A diamond can be kept in a tower. The history surrounding it cannot.