Share and Follow
The King and Queen of the United Kingdom made a rare visit to the United States this week, marking their first trip in nearly 20 years. Their brief stay was highlighted by a poignant tribute to the victims of the September 11 attacks.
King Charles and Queen Camilla carried out their duties with grace during the visit, although the conduct of Mayor Mamdani, their host, raised eyebrows and left many questioning his unusual behavior.
In a solemn ceremony, the royal couple paid their respects by meeting with the families of victims and laying a wreath at the downtown memorial. This act of remembrance serves as a significant gesture to Americans as the 25th anniversary of the tragic events approaches.
The impact of 9/11 was felt far beyond U.S. borders, with the United Kingdom and Commonwealth nations suffering the loss of 67 of their citizens—the highest toll of any country outside the United States. The tragedy underscored the deep connection between the two nations, with many British professionals frequently traveling across the Atlantic. Notably, the conference held at the Windows on the World in One World Trade Center, where no one survived, was partly British in nature. For some victims, their visit to New York was tragically brief.
This visit continues a tradition of royal tributes at the site. King Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, paid her respects in 2010 at a garden in lower Manhattan dedicated to UK victims. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate, followed in 2014 with a visit to the 9/11 memorial. Such gestures have become a significant symbol of the enduring bond between the United States and the United Kingdom.
Mayor Mamdani had just one job: don’t be a jerk.
Instead, the mayor first tried to ignore the King’s visit. Mamdani knew he couldn’t skip the 9/11 appearance — but he omitted the purpose. On his press schedule, Mamdani’s staffers noted only that the mayor would “attend the 9/11 Memorial wreath-laying ceremony” — no mention that the point of the ceremony was so that the King could offer condolences.
Then, hours beforehand, asked by a reporter what he might say to Charles, the mayor purposefully unwelcomed the King. “I’ll be attending a wreath-laying alongside a number of other elected officials,” he said. “The focus of that wreath-laying is to honor the more than 3,000 New Yorkers who were killed.”
Pressed further, Mamdani offered a slap instead of a handshake: “If I was to speak to the king separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor Diamond,” he said.
No, Mr. Mayor, the King’s wish to honor the dead a few blocks from City Hall was not an opportunity for a freshman barb on colonialism, and imply that this crown jewel belongs to India.
Anyway, what is Mamdani’s standing to demand the diamond — has he appointed himself a representative of India’s government?
It wasn’t just the mayor’s rudeness, but tone and demeanor. Mamdani did his best version of a petulant teen imparting intolerable boredom.
But even the dullest teen would know to say at the press conference: I look forward to joining Charles and Camilla in reflecting on 9/11, including on the British lives lost.
Mamdani did briefly greet Charles at the 9/11 memorial.
It’s a good thing another mayor was on hand, though, to do the apparently arduous task of behaving like a normal person. Michael Bloomberg and the King spent significant time together Wednesday, walking and talking through the memorial’s grounds.
Serving as mayor of a city with so much global history is a big job — it is not all daycare and cheap eggs. On Wednesday, Mamdani made himself look small.
Nicole Gelinas is a contributing editor to the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal.