Colombian Housekeeper Acquitted of Stealing Jordanian Princess's Ring

Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, a 71-year-old housekeeper, has been cleared of stealing valuable jewelry from her employer, Princess Firyal Irshaid. A jury at Southwark Crown Court deliberated for two hours before returning a unanimous verdict of not guilty on one count of theft.

Prosecutors had accused Ms. Taborda Henao of using her nephew, Julian Ramirez, as a conduit to sell high-end items belonging to Princess Firyal, estimated to be worth tens of thousands of pounds. Among the alleged stolen items was a wedding ring given to the princess by her then-husband, Prince Muhammad bin Talal, in 1964. Princess Firyal reportedly believed the ring had been lost years prior.

Ms. Taborda Henao had been employed as the princess's housekeeper in Belgravia for over a decade. The case began in November 2020, when Princess Firyal, who was in Jordan at the time, received a call from high-end jewelers House of JAR in Paris. The jeweler informed her that a bespoke piece made for her had been put up for auction in England.

Upon further investigation, the princess discovered other items of her jewelry were being offered for sale without her knowledge and subsequently contacted the police. Detectives arrested Ms. Taborda Henao at the princess's residence and later found several items belonging to the princess, including earrings and her wedding ring, at Ms. Taborda Henao's home in Fulham, west London.

Ms. Taborda Henao denied any involvement in the theft. Her nephew, Julian Ramirez, is believed to have fled to Colombia in October 2023 while on police bail. Prosecutors had contended that Ms. Taborda Henao and Mr. Ramirez were engaged in an "extremely lucrative" joint enterprise.

Following the verdict, Ms. Taborda Henao showed a brief smile as the acquittal was recorded.