Princess Accuses Housekeeper of Stealing Jewelry

Princess Firyal Irshaid, 81, has accused her housekeeper of stealing a collection of jewelry from her home in Belgravia, London, after she left the country in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The accused, Maria Taborda Henao, 71, denies the allegations.

Princess Firyal was alerted in November 2020 that two items from her collection had been listed for sale at Canterbury Auction Galleries. Among them was a unique sapphire and diamond ring created for her by Pierre Jeannet, a partner at the high-end jeweler JAR. Princess Firyal reported the suspected theft to the police, leading to Henao's arrest.

Investigators reportedly found the princess's wedding ring in a coat at Henao's residence, along with a jeweled metal necklace in a kitchen cupboard and an envelope containing earrings. The prosecution stated that the princess would not have willingly parted with such a significant personal item as her wedding ring.

Jurors were informed that Henao, who had worked for Princess Firyal for 11 years, was the only individual with authorized access to the princess's belongings during her absence. Henao, who arrived in Britain in the late 1980s, had previously worked for numerous households.

The court heard that Henao's nephew, Julian Ramirez, allegedly attended valuation days at Canterbury Auction Galleries in March 2019 and again in 2020, bringing items that were subsequently listed for auction. Ramirez reportedly generated approximately £90,000 from the auction house and transferred nearly £18,000 to his aunt between June 2019 and November 2020. Ramirez, whose mother had been permitted by the princess to reside in the Belgravia property early in the pandemic, is believed to have acted as a "key conduit for the sale of stolen property."

Princess Firyal returned to London in May 2021 to discover much of her jewelry missing. She presented evidence, including receipts and photographs of herself wearing the items, to substantiate her ownership of the jewelry sold at auction. This included a pair of enamel and gem-set earrings, purchased for £28,750 in 2011, which were later sold at Canterbury for £400 in 2020.

Ramirez was arrested on the same day as his aunt but was released on bail. He is reported to have traveled to Colombia in October 2023 and has not returned to the UK, according to court testimony. The trial is ongoing.