What is the Koh-i-Noor diamond and why is the jewel so controversial?
The Koh-i-Noor diamond, a 105.6-carat gem with deep historical roots, is part of the British Crown Jewels and has been at the center of longstanding disputes over its ownership. New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, of Indian American heritage, recently urged King Charles to return the diamond to India during the royal couple's state visit to the United States. The comment has reignited debate over the diamond's origins and the broader issue of colonial-era artifacts held by Western institutions.
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AsiaIndiaWhat is the Koh-i-Noor diamond and why is the jewel so controversial?The huge diamond is steeped in history and controversy over how it came to be in the possession of British royalty Shweta Sharma & Kate NgThursday 30 April 2026 06:24 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"CF1:2282580To1","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/koh-i-noor-diamond-zohran-mamdani-king-charles-history-b2967785.html","title":"What is the Koh-i-Noor diamond and why is the jewel so controversial?"}}open image in…
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