Housekeeper denies stealing Jordanian Princess Firyal's jewellery, Southwark Crown Court told
Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, 71, is on trial at Southwark Crown Court, accused of stealing jewellery from her employer Princess Firyal in London. She denies theft. Prosecutors say her nephew sold some of the items at auction.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, 71, is on trial at Southwark Crown Court in London, accused of stealing jewellery from her employer, Jordanian Princess Firyal. Daily MailR “Taborda Henao denies one count of theft at Southwark Crown Court.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ The NationalN “Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, 71, is accused of” Read at The National ↗ Mixed · 2She denies the allegation. The NationalN “Ms Taborda Henao denies taking the items.” Read at The National ↗ Daily MailR “Taborda Henao, who was sat in the dock with a Spanish translator, denies theft.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Centre · 1Princess Firyal was married to Prince Muhammad bin Talal, younger brother of King Hussein of Jordan, from 1964 to 1978. She is 81, a humanitarian and philanthropist, and has been a Unesco Goodwill Ambassador since 1992. The NationalN “Princess Firyal was married to Prince Muhammad bin Talal, the younger brother of King Hussein of Jordan, from 1964 to 1978.” Read at The National ↗
Mixed · 2The court heard that Taborda Henao had been the princess's housekeeper at her Belgravia home for about 11 years when the princess left London for Jordan in March 2020 during the Covid pandemic. The housekeeper stayed to look after the house and, according to the prosecution, was the only person allowed to access the princess's belongings in her absence. The NationalN “She had been the princess's housekeeper for 11 years before the alleged thefts and was the only person who had permission to access the princess's belongings in her absence.” Read at The National ↗ Daily MailR “The Princess returned home to Jordan and left her housekeeper alone in the property.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2In November 2020 a partner at the Paris jeweller JAR phoned the princess to say that a piece of its jewellery was being sold at auction in England. The National reports two items were involved, and that the piece was a unique sapphire and diamond ring made for her, offered by Canterbury Auction Galleries in Kent. Daily MailR “she received a phone call from the House of JAR high-end jewellers in Paris saying an original item of theirs” Read at Daily Mail ↗ The NationalN “two items of”“was being sold by Canterbury Auction Galleries, the prosecution said.” Read at The National ↗ Mixed · 2The princess obtained auction catalogues, found more of her jewellery listed or already sold, and contacted police. Police arrested Taborda Henao and searched her home in Fulham. The NationalN “After seeing more of her jewellery for sale, along with items that had already been sold by the auction house, Princess Firyal phoned the police.” Read at The National ↗ Daily MailR “Detectives arrested Taborda Henao at the Princess's home and later carried out a raid on the suspect's property in nearby Fulham.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Mixed · 2Officers found a wedding ring in a coat, a jewelled metal necklace in a kitchen cupboard, and an envelope of earrings belonging to the princess, the court heard. The Daily Mail reports the ring was the one given to her at her 1964 wedding, which prosecutor Oliver Wellings said she had considered lost. The NationalN “They found a wedding ring in a coat, a jewelled metal necklace in a kitchen cupboard, and an envelope containing earrings belonging to the princess, the court heard.” Read at The National ↗ Daily MailR “Taborda Henao allegedly even stole the wedding ring given to her by then-husband Prince Muhammad bin Talal at their wedding in 1964.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Prosecutors say the housekeeper's nephew, Julian Ramirez, was a "key conduit" for selling some of the items at auction. The Daily Mail reports he sent about £18,000 to his aunt between June 2019 and November 2020, and that prosecutors described a joint enterprise. The NationalN “Some of the items allegedly stolen were sold at auctions by the defendant's nephew, Julian Ramirez, who acted as a “key conduit” for their sale, said Mr Wellings.” Read at The National ↗ Daily MailR “Ramirez sent around £18,000 to his aunt, Taborda Henao, between June 2019 and November 2020.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Ramirez was arrested in Rochester, Kent, on the same day as his aunt and released on bail. He is believed to have flown to Colombia in October 2023 and not returned. The NationalN “Mr Ramirez had been arrested at an address in Rochester, Kent, on the same day as his aunt and was later released on bail.” Read at The National ↗ Daily MailR “Ramirez is believed to have fled to Colombia in October 2023 while still on police bail.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Mixed · 2The Daily Mail adds that the princess returned to the UK to find much of her jewellery missing and only costume jewellery left, with empty boxes and a safe that would not open. The trial continues. Daily MailR “'The only items which remained in her home were pieces of costume jewellery.'” Read at Daily Mail ↗ The NationalN “The case continues.” Read at The National ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Measured court report centred on the princess, who discovered the theft when her ring appeared at auction, with royal and humanitarian background.
- Emphasis
- Princess's testimony, her background, where items were found in the housekeeper's home, and the nephew's arrest in Rochester.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Omits the £18,000 transfers and the detail about the locked safe and costume jewellery.
- For example
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“She is a humanitarian and philanthropist and became a Unesco Goodwill Ambassador in 1992.” — The National
“They found a wedding ring in a coat, a jewelled metal necklace in a kitchen cupboard, and an envelope containing earrings belonging to the princess, the court heard.” — The National
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Crime-story framing led by the alleged betrayal of trust and the sentimental 'long lost' wedding ring, with a detailed prosecution narrative.
- Emphasis
- Wedding ring, money flowing from the nephew (£18,000), Ramirez fleeing to Colombia, the housekeeper's 'privileged position'.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give the princess's own testimony or her background as Unesco Goodwill Ambassador; less on where in the home items were found.
- Charged language
- “secretly stole”“flog”“long lost”“busted”
- For example
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“A long-serving housekeeper used her 'privileged position' to steal expensive jewellery from her Jordanian princess employer” — Daily Mail
“Ramirez is believed to have fled to Colombia in October 2023 while still on police bail.” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Taborda Henao, 71, is accused of theft at Southwark Crown Court and denies it.
- Princess Firyal's jewellery appeared at Canterbury Auction Galleries in November 2020 and she contacted police.
- Nephew Julian Ramirez is alleged to be a key conduit for sales and is believed to have gone to Colombia in October 2023.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the defendant stole the jewellery
- Centre
- Prosecution says items were found at her home; she denies taking them.
- Right
- Prosecution says she is responsible; she denies it.
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What the wedding ring was
- Centre
- Princess thought she had lost her wedding ring; the auctioned item was a separate JAR sapphire and diamond ring.
- Right
- Ring from the 1964 wedding, long thought lost.
Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao person
Denies theft; prosecutors rely on her position of trust, items found at her home and payments from her nephew.
“Taborda Henao denies one count of theft at Southwark Crown Court.” — Daily Mail
“Ms Taborda Henao denies taking the items.” — The National
Princess Firyal person
Says she found her jewellery missing and her ring at auction; told the court she would never have given away such an important item.
“Prosecutor Oliver Wellings said the princess thought she had lost her wedding ring and would never have given away such an important personal item.” — The National
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Jordanian princess 'discovered jewellery had been stolen when it appeared at UK auction'
Neutral Straight court report from the princess's perspective, with background on her royal and humanitarian role.
Right1 article
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Alarmist Sensational crime report stressing betrayal of trust and a lucrative enterprise with the nephew.
- 6 Oct 15:45 First Daily MailR Colombian housekeeper secretly stole Jordanian princess's 'long lost' wedding ring and passed other jewellery for secret sale at auction, court told
- 8 Oct 11:17 +43h 32m The NationalN Jordanian princess 'discovered jewellery had been stolen when it appeared at UK auction'
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.