New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani would encourage King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India, he said on Wednesday, hours before meeting the British monarch.
"If I was to speak to the King separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond," Mamdani said at a press conference.
The 105.6-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond was given to Queen Victoria in 1849 by Maharajah Duleep Singh. It was worn by the Queen Mother on her crown in 1937.
India has indicated that it will continue to explore ways to bring back the Koh-i-noor from the United Kingdom.
King Charles III visited New York City on the second day of his State Visit to the US.
He addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress Tuesday, as he and Queen Camilla were honoured at a state dinner hosted by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump in the White House.
King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the 9/11 Memorial in the city, where Mamdani met them.
The Koh-i-Noor diamond is currently displayed at the Tower of London. The diamond, set within the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, has "many previous owners, including Mughal Emperors, Shahs of Iran, Emirs of Afghanistan, and Sikh Maharajas", according to the Historic Royal Palaces charity.