A Jordanian princess has accused her housekeeper of stealing jewellery from her Belgravia home.
Princess Firyal Irshaid, 81, saw her jewellery collection taken from her home and listed for sale after she left Britain in 2020 during the pandemic.
Maria Taborda Henao, 71, denies stealing the items, which include a wedding ring and a custom sapphire and diamond ring.
After arriving in Britain in the late 1980s, Taborda Henao told Southwark Crown Court through a Spanish interpreter that she had cleaned for around 30 to 35 households, including for the late businessman Lord Jacobs and a Belgian countess.
But having worked for 11 years as Princess Firyal’s housekeeper in central London, she was accused of stealing in 2020 after her employer left the country following the outbreak of Covid-19.
Jurors were told Taborda Henao was the only person with permission to access the princess’s belongings in her absence.
In November 2020 Princess Firyal was told by Pierre Jeannet, her friend and a partner at high-end jeweller JAR, that two items were listed at Canterbury Auction Galleries.
She realised that a ‘unique’ JAR sapphire and diamond ring made for her by Mr Jeannet was among the items.
Princess Firyal of Jordan accused her housekeeper of stealing jewellery from her Belgravia home
Maria Taborda Henao, who worked for the princess for 11 years, denies stealing from her
Among the items Taborda Henao stands accused of stealing was a custom ring
A pair of earrings were also among the items Princess Firyal said were taken
A ruby ring was also among the items, some of which were listed at an auction house in Canterbury
Princess Firyal reported her housekeeper to the police and she was arrested.
Officers found the princess’s wedding ring in a coat at Taborda Henao’s house, a jewelled metal necklace in a kitchen cupboard and an envelope with earrings inside.
Oliver Wellings, prosecuting, said the princess thought she had lost her wedding ring and ‘would never have given away such an important personal item’.
The court heard Taborda Henao’s nephew, Julian Ramirez, attended a valuation day at Canterbury Auction Galleries in March 2019 and allegedly visited again in 2020, when items he brought were listed for auction.
Mr Wellings said Ramirez received around £90,000 in revenue from the auction house and transferred almost £18,000 to his aunt between June 2019 and November the following year.
The court heard the princess returned to London in May 2021 and ‘found much of her jewellery missing’.
She provided evidence showing she owned jewellery sold at the auction house, including receipts and pictures of her wearing the pieces.
This included a ‘unique’ pair of enamel and gem-set earrings bought for £28,750 from Sotheby’s in 2011 and sold in Canterbury for £400 in 2020.
Ramirez was arrested on the same day as his aunt before being released on bail.
He is believed to have flown to Colombia in October 2023 and has not returned, jurors heard.
Ramirez, whose mother was allowed by the princess to move into the Belgravia property during the early stages of the pandemic, was said to have acted as a ‘key conduit for the sale of stolen property’.
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.
The trial continues.
