Even those who don’t think much of New York city mayor Zohran Mamdani’s politics might grudgingly concede he has a knack for jumping on causes that resonate with his achingly progressive voter base. The idea of righting the wrongs of imperial history – anywhere, even thousands of miles away – is high on the tick list.

Hence Mamdani’s call for King Charles to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond, one of the world’s largest and most controversial jewels, to India. The 105-carat diamond, part of the Crown Jewels, is the subject of a fierce historical dispute, with India claiming that it was stolen during British colonial rule.

‘I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond,’ Mamdani, who has Indian roots, said at a news conference just ahead of a ceremony honouring victims of the 9/11 attacks. The mayor later met King Charles, who is on a four-day visit to the US, at the ceremony but it is unclear whether he brought up the diamond. Neither Mamdani’s office nor Buckingham Palace have shared details about their meeting.Leaving........

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