Housekeeper Acquitted of Stealing Jordanian Princess's Jewels After Swift Jury Verdict

A long-serving housekeeper has been found not guilty of stealing expensive jewellery from her employer, a Jordanian princess. A jury in London took less than two hours to clear Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, 71, of theft.

She had been accused of stealing several items from the princess's home in Belgravia when Princess Firyal, 81, flew to Jordan at the outbreak of Covid in 2020. Princess Firyal was married to Prince Muhammad bin Talal, the younger brother of King Hussein of Jordan, from 1964 to 1978.

Princess Firyal told Southwark Crown Court that she was alerted to the missing items from her jewellery collection when a jeweller friend contacted her, stating they had appeared for auction in Canterbury. The collection included a custom-made sapphire and diamond ring.

The court heard that police discovered Princess Firyal’s wedding ring, a pair of earrings, and a necklace during a search of Ms Taborda Henao’s home in Fulham. The princess had believed the wedding ring had been lost years prior.

Ms Taborda Henao, who hails from Colombia and had been employed by Princess Firyal for 11 years, testified through a Spanish interpreter that the princess had previously labelled her a thief and made similar accusations against others. Ms Taborda Henao’s nephew, Julian Ramirez, was implicated as a conduit for the sale of the items. He was also arrested but absconded to Colombia in October 2023 while on police bail.