Empire: World History – Should The Koh-I-Noor Be Returned? Mamdani vs King Charles III EXPLAINED

Podcast Hosts: William Dalrymple & Anita Anand
Release Date: May 1, 2026

Episode Overview

This emergency episode of Empire addresses the resurging controversy over the Koh-i-Noor diamond, sparked by recent international headlines and public calls—most prominently from Zoran Mamdani—for the British Royal Family to return the jewel to India. Hosts William Dalrymple and Anita Anand trace the diamond’s blood-soaked journey, its burden of myth and colonial legacy, and the complexities surrounding modern restitution demands.

Both with scholarly insight and wry humor, Dalrymple and Anand interweave the Koh-i-Noor’s chaotic provenance with the emotional and political tensions it stokes today.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why an Emergency Podcast?

The Koh-i-Noor’s return is “all the rage” in current affairs, following headlines where Mamdani directly urges King Charles III to “give the priceless diamond back to India” ([00:32]–[01:08]).
The renewed focus discomforts the British royals, who had reportedly tried to sidestep the controversy at the coronation.

2. The Curse and Myth of the Koh-i-Noor

Origins of the Curse:
- Draws from Hindu scripture (Bhagavad Purana), wherein certain gems, especially flawed diamonds, are believed to bring terrible luck ([02:49]).
- The diamond is said to “destroy all who come into contact.” Dalrymple: "No man is ever going to be worthy to wear this diamond. It destroys all who come into contact..." ([02:10]).
Historical Bloodshed:
- “There are piles of bodies. Wherever this rock has rolled, it has rolled over the dead and the grief stricken.” —Anita Anand ([04:07]).

3. Tracing the Diamond’s History: Fact vs Legend

First Verified Reference:
- English knowledge came from Theo Metcalfe, a colonial official and unreliable narrator who fabricated much of the early legend ([05:01],[05:12]).
- The first verified use of the name “Koh-i-Noor” is in a Persian biography of Nader Shah, dating to around 1750 ([06:10]).
Its Journey:
- Mined in Golconda, moved through the hands of Kakatiya kings → Delhi Sultans → Mughal emperors → Persians (Nader Shah) → Afghans (Ahmad Shah Durrani) → Sikhs (Ranjit Singh), and finally to the British ([06:10]–[11:00]).
Myth vs History:
- Many other diamonds were conflated with the Koh-i-Noor, making its true path murky until the 18th century ([06:41]).

4. Victims of the Diamond’s Curse

Owners’ Downfalls:
- Nader Shah murdered by his relatives after descending into madness ([09:38]).
- Ahmad Shah Durrani dies with his face ravaged by disease and maggots ([09:53]).
- The diamond was used as a paperweight by a mullah, demonstrating its many strange turns ([10:44]).
- Ranjit Singh wore it defiantly, only to suffer a catastrophic stroke ([12:20]).

5. Competing Claims & Contentious Inheritance

Orissa, Punjab, Afghanistan, Iran:
- After Ranjit Singh’s death, claims arose from Hindu priests (Orissa), Sikhs, the state, and even within the family ([13:21]–[15:34]).
- The treasurer, Misr Beliram, hid the diamond to prevent it being given away or stolen.
- “There is a big row even to this day about what happens.” —Anita Anand ([15:07]).
Bloodbath after Ranjit Singh:
- Endless intrigue, murder, and chaos, resulting in the child Duleep Singh as last “man” standing ([16:14]–[16:59]).

6. The British Takeover

Forcing the ‘Gift’:
- After two Anglo-Sikh wars, the British seized Punjab and the Koh-i-Noor, separating boy king Duleep Singh from his mother ([18:14]).
- He was forced to sign a document surrendering the diamond, a move he contested lifelong:
  - “You promised that you were my friend. But you’ve taken everything from me. This isn’t right, this isn’t justice and I’ll sue you in the courts.” —paraphrasing Duleep Singh ([19:09]).
Transport & Catastrophe:
- The diamond’s journey to Britain was beset with misfortunes: near-shipwreck, deaths by cholera, the Queen assaulted, a PM crushed under his horse—all coinciding with its arrival ([19:55]).
British Redesign:
- Prince Albert had the Koh-i-Noor recut, losing two thirds of its mass, against expert advice.
  - “He insists on doing it. And two thirds of the mass...disintegrates. We don’t know what’s happened to the rest of the diamond.” —Anita Anand ([20:44]).
- Designed as both a brooch and a coronet setting for Queen Victoria ([21:20]). Only female consorts wore it thereafter, due to superstition.

7. The Tower of London Today — and Ongoing Anger

Public Reaction:
- Anita Anand recounts scenes of Indians, Pakistanis, and Afghans at the display:
  - “The swearing that would occur in front of the glass...thieves, thieves, thieves. This is ours. How dare they.” ([22:18]).
Modern Display:
- The diamond is now on public view, but its brief viewing time did nothing to placate angry crowds ([22:51]).
- “The only thing that achieved was it taught many brown people how to moonwalk.” – Anita Anand ([22:51]).

8. Calls for Restitution: Mamdani, the Palace, and Colonial Debate

Current Pressure:
- Zoran Mamdani advocates vocally for return to India; the Royal Family evasive ([23:02]).
- Queen Camilla notably refused to wear it at the coronation.
Who Owns It?
- Numerous claimants: Orissa, Punjab, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Bangladesh (with Pakistan submitting the first post-independence legal claim in 1976) ([23:43]).
- Dalrymple: "It’s rather like Solomon’s baby ... divided." ([24:10]).
Colonial Loot Debate:
- Questions over the legitimacy of British acquisition:
  - “There’s a whole lot of nonsense...the diamond was given as a grateful gift by the Indians. No, it never was. It was given by Ranjit Singh. He was long dead. That’s not possible. Unless he did it by Ouija board.” —Anita Anand ([24:18]).
- British defense, as voiced by (former PM) David Cameron:
  - "If you say yes to one [restitution claim], you suddenly find the British Museum would be empty.” ([26:19]–[26:42]).

9. The Koh-i-Noor as Symbol of Colonialism

Dalrymple reflects on its power to focus the pain of South Asian colonial loss:
- "This little diamond has within it the power of bringing up all the pain of colonialism. And people in India and South Asia associate this one object with everything that was taken from them." ([25:44])
The multiplicity of claimants potentially lets Britain avoid returning it by re-invoking 'divide and rule'.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the curse:
- “No man is ever going to be worthy to wear this diamond. It destroys all who come into contact.” – William Dalrymple ([02:10])
On the scale of suffering:
- “There are piles of bodies. Wherever this rock has rolled, it has rolled over the dead and the grief stricken.” – Anita Anand ([04:07])
Duleep Singh’s tragic ‘gift’:
- “You promised that you were my friend. But you’ve taken everything from me. This isn’t right, this isn’t justice and I’ll sue you in the courts.” – (Paraphrasing Duleep Singh, [19:09])
On visitor reactions at the Tower:
- “The swearing that would occur in front of the glass...thieves, thieves, thieves. This is ours. How dare they.” – Anita Anand ([22:18])
Satirical jab at British exhibition tactics:
- “The only thing that achieved was it taught many brown people how to moonwalk.” – Anita Anand ([22:51])
Colonial apologia and the British Museum:
- “If you say yes to one, you suddenly find the British Museum would be empty.” – David Cameron (quoted) ([26:36])

Key Timestamps

00:32–02:49: Why the Koh-i-Noor is back in the news; the legend of the curse.
04:07–11:00: The real historical path and violence associated with the diamond; formation of myths.
12:20–16:19: The Sikh period, Ranjit Singh’s stroke, contestations over disposal.
16:57–18:37: British conquest, the fate of Duleep Singh and his mother.
19:45–22:14: British transportation, recutting, Queen Victoria’s anxiety.
22:18–23:02: Emotional modern reactions at the Tower of London.
23:43–26:42: Present-day claimants, arguments on colonial loot, political defense of retention.
25:44–26:19: The diamond as symbol of colonial trauma.

Conclusion

This episode retells the gripping story of the Koh-i-Noor, laying bare its complex mythos, traumatic legacy, and the impossibility of a simple return. Dalrymple and Anand use the diamond’s history as a lens for the broader debate about reparations, memory, and what “giving back” can or should mean in the post-colonial world.

The final message: the Koh-i-Noor’s power is not just in the jewel but what it has come to represent—a centuries-old wound, refracted through myth, misfortune, and contested histories.

Empire: World History – Should The Koh-I-Noor Be Returned? Mamdani vs King Charles III EXPLAINED

Podcast Hosts: William Dalrymple & Anita Anand
Release Date: May 1, 2026

Episode Overview

Both with scholarly insight and wry humor, Dalrymple and Anand interweave the Koh-i-Noor’s chaotic provenance with the emotional and political tensions it stokes today.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why an Emergency Podcast?

The Koh-i-Noor’s return is “all the rage” in current affairs, following headlines where Mamdani directly urges King Charles III to “give the priceless diamond back to India” ([00:32]–[01:08]).
The renewed focus discomforts the British royals, who had reportedly tried to sidestep the controversy at the coronation.

2. The Curse and Myth of the Koh-i-Noor

Origins of the Curse:
- Draws from Hindu scripture (Bhagavad Purana), wherein certain gems, especially flawed diamonds, are believed to bring terrible luck ([02:49]).
- The diamond is said to “destroy all who come into contact.” Dalrymple: "No man is ever going to be worthy to wear this diamond. It destroys all who come into contact..." ([02:10]).
Historical Bloodshed:
- “There are piles of bodies. Wherever this rock has rolled, it has rolled over the dead and the grief stricken.” —Anita Anand ([04:07]).

3. Tracing the Diamond’s History: Fact vs Legend

First Verified Reference:
- English knowledge came from Theo Metcalfe, a colonial official and unreliable narrator who fabricated much of the early legend ([05:01],[05:12]).
- The first verified use of the name “Koh-i-Noor” is in a Persian biography of Nader Shah, dating to around 1750 ([06:10]).
Its Journey:
- Mined in Golconda, moved through the hands of Kakatiya kings → Delhi Sultans → Mughal emperors → Persians (Nader Shah) → Afghans (Ahmad Shah Durrani) → Sikhs (Ranjit Singh), and finally to the British ([06:10]–[11:00]).
Myth vs History:
- Many other diamonds were conflated with the Koh-i-Noor, making its true path murky until the 18th century ([06:41]).

4. Victims of the Diamond’s Curse

Owners’ Downfalls:
- Nader Shah murdered by his relatives after descending into madness ([09:38]).
- Ahmad Shah Durrani dies with his face ravaged by disease and maggots ([09:53]).
- The diamond was used as a paperweight by a mullah, demonstrating its many strange turns ([10:44]).
- Ranjit Singh wore it defiantly, only to suffer a catastrophic stroke ([12:20]).

5. Competing Claims & Contentious Inheritance

Orissa, Punjab, Afghanistan, Iran:
- After Ranjit Singh’s death, claims arose from Hindu priests (Orissa), Sikhs, the state, and even within the family ([13:21]–[15:34]).
- The treasurer, Misr Beliram, hid the diamond to prevent it being given away or stolen.
- “There is a big row even to this day about what happens.” —Anita Anand ([15:07]).
Bloodbath after Ranjit Singh:
- Endless intrigue, murder, and chaos, resulting in the child Duleep Singh as last “man” standing ([16:14]–[16:59]).

6. The British Takeover

Forcing the ‘Gift’:
- After two Anglo-Sikh wars, the British seized Punjab and the Koh-i-Noor, separating boy king Duleep Singh from his mother ([18:14]).
- He was forced to sign a document surrendering the diamond, a move he contested lifelong:
  - “You promised that you were my friend. But you’ve taken everything from me. This isn’t right, this isn’t justice and I’ll sue you in the courts.” —paraphrasing Duleep Singh ([19:09]).
Transport & Catastrophe:
- The diamond’s journey to Britain was beset with misfortunes: near-shipwreck, deaths by cholera, the Queen assaulted, a PM crushed under his horse—all coinciding with its arrival ([19:55]).
British Redesign:
- Prince Albert had the Koh-i-Noor recut, losing two thirds of its mass, against expert advice.
  - “He insists on doing it. And two thirds of the mass...disintegrates. We don’t know what’s happened to the rest of the diamond.” —Anita Anand ([20:44]).
- Designed as both a brooch and a coronet setting for Queen Victoria ([21:20]). Only female consorts wore it thereafter, due to superstition.

7. The Tower of London Today — and Ongoing Anger

Public Reaction:
- Anita Anand recounts scenes of Indians, Pakistanis, and Afghans at the display:
  - “The swearing that would occur in front of the glass...thieves, thieves, thieves. This is ours. How dare they.” ([22:18]).
Modern Display:
- The diamond is now on public view, but its brief viewing time did nothing to placate angry crowds ([22:51]).
- “The only thing that achieved was it taught many brown people how to moonwalk.” – Anita Anand ([22:51]).

8. Calls for Restitution: Mamdani, the Palace, and Colonial Debate

Current Pressure:
- Zoran Mamdani advocates vocally for return to India; the Royal Family evasive ([23:02]).
- Queen Camilla notably refused to wear it at the coronation.
Who Owns It?
- Numerous claimants: Orissa, Punjab, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Bangladesh (with Pakistan submitting the first post-independence legal claim in 1976) ([23:43]).
- Dalrymple: "It’s rather like Solomon’s baby ... divided." ([24:10]).
Colonial Loot Debate:
- Questions over the legitimacy of British acquisition:
  - “There’s a whole lot of nonsense...the diamond was given as a grateful gift by the Indians. No, it never was. It was given by Ranjit Singh. He was long dead. That’s not possible. Unless he did it by Ouija board.” —Anita Anand ([24:18]).
- British defense, as voiced by (former PM) David Cameron:
  - "If you say yes to one [restitution claim], you suddenly find the British Museum would be empty.” ([26:19]–[26:42]).

9. The Koh-i-Noor as Symbol of Colonialism

Dalrymple reflects on its power to focus the pain of South Asian colonial loss:
- "This little diamond has within it the power of bringing up all the pain of colonialism. And people in India and South Asia associate this one object with everything that was taken from them." ([25:44])
The multiplicity of claimants potentially lets Britain avoid returning it by re-invoking 'divide and rule'.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the curse:
- “No man is ever going to be worthy to wear this diamond. It destroys all who come into contact.” – William Dalrymple ([02:10])
On the scale of suffering:
- “There are piles of bodies. Wherever this rock has rolled, it has rolled over the dead and the grief stricken.” – Anita Anand ([04:07])
Duleep Singh’s tragic ‘gift’:
- “You promised that you were my friend. But you’ve taken everything from me. This isn’t right, this isn’t justice and I’ll sue you in the courts.” – (Paraphrasing Duleep Singh, [19:09])
On visitor reactions at the Tower:
- “The swearing that would occur in front of the glass...thieves, thieves, thieves. This is ours. How dare they.” – Anita Anand ([22:18])
Satirical jab at British exhibition tactics:
- “The only thing that achieved was it taught many brown people how to moonwalk.” – Anita Anand ([22:51])
Colonial apologia and the British Museum:
- “If you say yes to one, you suddenly find the British Museum would be empty.” – David Cameron (quoted) ([26:36])

Key Timestamps

00:32–02:49: Why the Koh-i-Noor is back in the news; the legend of the curse.
04:07–11:00: The real historical path and violence associated with the diamond; formation of myths.
12:20–16:19: The Sikh period, Ranjit Singh’s stroke, contestations over disposal.
16:57–18:37: British conquest, the fate of Duleep Singh and his mother.
19:45–22:14: British transportation, recutting, Queen Victoria’s anxiety.
22:18–23:02: Emotional modern reactions at the Tower of London.
23:43–26:42: Present-day claimants, arguments on colonial loot, political defense of retention.
25:44–26:19: The diamond as symbol of colonial trauma.

Conclusion

The final message: the Koh-i-Noor’s power is not just in the jewel but what it has come to represent—a centuries-old wound, refracted through myth, misfortune, and contested histories.

wavePod

Should The Koh-I-Noor Be Returned? Mamdani vs King Charles III EXPLAINED

Summary

Empire: World History – Should The Koh-I-Noor Be Returned? Mamdani vs King Charles III EXPLAINED

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why an Emergency Podcast?

2. The Curse and Myth of the Koh-i-Noor

3. Tracing the Diamond’s History: Fact vs Legend

4. Victims of the Diamond’s Curse

5. Competing Claims & Contentious Inheritance

6. The British Takeover

7. The Tower of London Today — and Ongoing Anger

8. Calls for Restitution: Mamdani, the Palace, and Colonial Debate

9. The Koh-i-Noor as Symbol of Colonialism

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps

Conclusion

Transcript

Summary

Empire: World History – Should The Koh-I-Noor Be Returned? Mamdani vs King Charles III EXPLAINED

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why an Emergency Podcast?

2. The Curse and Myth of the Koh-i-Noor

3. Tracing the Diamond’s History: Fact vs Legend

4. Victims of the Diamond’s Curse

5. Competing Claims & Contentious Inheritance

6. The British Takeover

7. The Tower of London Today — and Ongoing Anger

8. Calls for Restitution: Mamdani, the Palace, and Colonial Debate

9. The Koh-i-Noor as Symbol of Colonialism

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps

Conclusion