The stone has become a point of contention between England and India, which was under colonial rule for two centuries until the end of World War II. However, other countries including Iran and Pakistan have also laid claim to the stone.
A spokesperson for the royal family declined to comment on Mamdani’s remarks.
Charles and Queen Camilla are set to attend the 9/11 ceremony Wednesday afternoon as part of their four-day trip to the U.S. that has included a private meeting between Charles and President Donald Trump, an innuendo-laden address to Congress and a sumptuous White House dinner.
As POLITICO reported Wednesday, however, the reception from New York City’s mayor has been far frostier.
Mamdani’s democratic socialist beliefs, his early exposure to his academic father’s thinking on African politics and the lasting effects of British colonial rule have all factored into the mayor’s cool outward posture toward the crown.
Indeed, for the second time in three days after being asked about any message he would like to communicate to the royals at Ground Zero, Mamdani took care to omit them from his initial answer.
“I’ll be attending a wreath laying alongside other elected officials including Gov. Hochul, Gov. Sherrill, and the focus of that wreath laying is to honor the more than 3,000 New Yorkers who were killed in the horrific terror attacks of Sept. 11,” he said. “And that is really what I’m looking to do at that event.”