Trump and Melania Honor King Charles III and Queen Camilla

• President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump paid respects to King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
• New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani provided a somewhat tepid reception and mentioned the return of the Kohinoor diamond.
• The 105-carat Kohinoor diamond, a part of the British Crown Jewels, originated in India.

On Thursday, President Trump and Melania expressed admiration for the British royal couple, despite Mayor Mamdani’s lukewarm greeting in New York City.

“It’s good to see you again,” Trump reportedly told King Charles III during their meeting, as noted by lip-reading expert Jeremy Freeman.

At a farewell event, he complimented Queen Camilla, saying, “Your Majesty, you are very beautiful.”

Melania added, “Your Majesty,” greeting the Queen with a smile and pointing to her gold brooch, exclaiming, “Oh, it’s so wonderful.”

Trump later told reporters, “Great king. Greatest king in my book,” after a brief interaction with the royals.

Following the formal farewell, Trump remarked, “These are great people. We need more of them in our country.”

However, this polite farewell followed a relatively cool reception from Mayor Mamdani the day before, unlike the warm welcomes previous mayors have provided.

While smiling and shaking hands with King Charles, Mamdani even hinted at wanting the return of the Kohinoor diamond, a notable symbol of Britain’s colonial past.

Nonetheless, the King and Mayor had a light conversation at the 9/11 Memorial. “You’re the mayor! Hehehe! Congratulations…” Freeman recounted, quoting the King.

Mamdani responded with a simple, “Yes…thank you.”

Earlier that morning, during an unrelated press conference, the 34-year-old democratic socialist was asked what he would say to the King during this rare visit. He jokingly suggested, “If I were to speak to the King…I would probably recommend that he return the Kohinoor diamond.”

This diamond, the world’s largest cut gemstone, has a tumultuous history, having been mined in India and has changed hands through various rulers over centuries.