King Charles III experienced an uneven welcome in the United States, receiving praise in Washington DC but facing a public snub from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a visit to the 9/11 memorial on Wednesday. The monarch, accompanied by Queen Camilla, attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the World Trade Center site, but Mayor Mamdani made it clear he would not meet privately with the king and called for the return of the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
Contrasting Receptions in Washington and New York
On Tuesday, King Charles was lauded by President Donald Trump, applauded by Congress, and served a lavish dinner that included spring-herbed ravioli and parmesan emulsion on a gold plate. However, the atmosphere shifted sharply upon his arrival in New York City. Mayor Mamdani, a democratic socialist elected on a platform to rein in elites, distanced himself from the king from the outset. His press secretary, Joe Calvello, issued a terse statement: "The mayor will not meet privately with King Charles. But the mayor will be at the wreath laying ceremony today."
The Koh-i-Noor Diamond Dispute
When asked what he would say to the king if they met privately, Mamdani stated: "I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond." The 106-carat diamond, which is part of the crown worn by the queen mother, has been a subject of ownership dispute since it came into British possession in 1849. Critics argue that the diamond was immorally taken from Duleep Singh, a 10-year-old maharajah whose kingdom was seized by the British. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on whether they would return the diamond.
9/11 Memorial Ceremony
At the World Trade Center, Charles and Camilla were accompanied by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who served from 2002 to 2013, rather than Mamdani. They toured the memorial pools and laid a wreath to honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Despite the diamond controversy, when Charles did meet Mamdani briefly, they shook hands and smiled during a short conversation.
Security and Public Reaction
Security was tight in lower Manhattan following a recent shooting incident at the White House correspondents' dinner. At least one subway stop was closed, and building access was strictly monitored. Press access was severely limited, shielding Charles from questions about his brother Andrew's association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The king laid his wreath less than a mile from the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial. New Yorkers expressed mixed feelings about the royal visit. Danica Parry, emerging from a subway stop near the site, described the security as "like a CIA operation" and said she was "pretty neutral" about the royals, adding, "I am not into monarchies at all."
Other Engagements
After the ceremony, Charles visited an after-school urban farming project in Harlem, while Camilla traveled to the New York Public Library, where she gifted a stuffed kangaroo to the library's collection of soft-toy Winnie-the-Pooh characters. The king's visit highlighted the complex relationship between the British monarchy and American political figures, particularly those critical of colonial history.
