A housekeeper has been cleared of stealing jewellery, including a custom-made sapphire and diamond ring, from the Belgravia home of a Jordanian princess.
Princess Firyal Irshaid, 81, had left the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 when her jewellery collection was taken from her Belgravia home and put up for sale.
Her housekeeper, 71-year-old Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, was on trial at Southwark Crown Court, accused of using her access to carry out the thefts. She was accused of stealing “various items of jewellery”, including a wedding ring and a custom-made sapphire and diamond ring, from her former employer.
Jury clears housekeeper
Jurors cleared her on Tuesday of a theft by employee charge, having been sent out under two hours earlier.
On Monday, jurors heard from Taborda Henao, who arrived in the UK in the late 1980s. Taborda Henao said through a Spanish interpreter that she had cleaned for around 30 to 35 households, including for the late businessman and peer Lord Anthony Jacobs and a Belgian countess.
Defence barrister Manveer Cheema asked Taborda Henao what she did for Princess Firyal, and she replied: “Clean.” She and other members of staff in the household also helped the princess with moving her suitcases in the home when she went travelling, the court heard.
Accusations of theft
Taborda Henao said the mood among the staff was “calm”, but that relationships with the princess were “very hard”, the court heard. Mr Cheema asked her if there were any tensions between her and the princess. Taborda Henao replied: “Yes.”
Mr Cheema asked: “What was that in relation to?” Taborda Henao replied: “She called me a thief.” Mr Cheema asked: “How did this make you feel?” Taborda Henao replied: “Bad.” Mr Cheema asked: “Were you a thief?” Taborda Henao replied: “No.” Mr Cheema asked: “This made you feel upset?” Taborda Henao replied: “Yes.”
Mr Cheema asked: “And what was done after that?” Taborda Henao replied: “She would be at ease, she would calm down.” Mr Cheema asked: “She would accuse you of being a thief and then calm down?” Taborda Henao replied: “She used to tell all of us the same thing.” Mr Cheema asked: “She would accuse other people of being a thief?” Taborda Henao replied: “Yes.”
Background and investigation
Princess Firyal married Prince Muhammad bin Talal, the younger brother of King Hussein of Jordan, in 1964, in a marriage which lasted for 14 years.
Taborda Henao, also known as Lina, worked as the princess’s housekeeper for 11 years, and was accused of stealing jewellery when left in London to look after the Belgravia home in 2020. Her nephew, Julian Ramirez, is said to have acted as a “key conduit for the sale of stolen property”, and transferred £17,835 to Taborda Henao between June 23 2019 and November 28 2020.
Jurors heard the princess agreed for Taborda Henao’s sister, Ramirez’s mother, to move into the property during the early stages of the pandemic, and then agreed to pay her a salary. Asked if she was aware that any items were stolen and being sold, Taborda Henao replied: “No.” She also denied any involvement.
Princess Firyal told jurors last week that she had discovered her possessions had been stolen when her engagement ring was pictured on the front of an auction house catalogue. She said her friend, Pierre Jeannet, a partner in high-end jewellery maker JAR who had crafted the ring, called on November 21 2020. “He asked: ‘Are you selling your jewellery?’ And I said: ‘No, what are you talking about?’”, she told the court. “He told me my ring, made specially for my engagement, was on the cover of a catalogue in an auction house.”
During a search of Taborda Henao’s Fulham home, police found the princess’s wedding ring, a pair of earrings, and a jewelled metal necklace, the court heard. Ramirez is believed to have flown to Colombia in October 2023 while on police bail.
