King Charles III's State Visit to the U.S.: 9/11 Memorial, Congressional Address, and Kohinoor Diamond Discussions King Charles III and Queen Camilla concluded their third day in New York City as part of their state visit to the United States, with a focus on commemorating the 9/11 attacks, engaging with local leaders, and reinforcing the U.S.-U.K. alliance. The royal couple arrived at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, where they joined former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the museum’s chairman, to lay a bouquet of white flowers at the memorial pools. The event drew crowds eager to meet the royals, with Mayor Zohran Mamdani greeting Charles and Camilla after the ceremony. While details of their private conversation remained undisclosed, Mamdani later expressed his hope that Charles would consider returning the Kohinoor diamond, a historic gem with deep symbolic significance for India and Pakistan. The Kohinoor diamond, part of the British crown jewels, has long been a point of contention. Mamdani, who attended the 9/11 memorial event, stated he would “probably encourage” Charles to return the diamond, which has been a symbol of colonial exploitation for many Indians and students of imperialism. The diamond, believed to have been discovered in South India in the 13th century, was previously set in the crowns of British queens. Pakistan also has historical claims to the gem, adding to its complex legacy. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the matter, maintaining its stance on the diamond’s status as a British artifact. Earlier in the day, Charles and Camilla split for separate events. Queen Camilla traveled to midtown Manhattan for a literacy initiative at the New York Public Library, where she participated in an event celebrating the 100th anniversary of A.A.#new_york_city #queen_camilla #king_charles_iii #9_11_memorial #kohinoor_diamond
