Jury clears housekeeper of stealing Princess Firyal of Jordan's jewellery
A London jury took under two hours to acquit Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, 71, of stealing jewellery from her employer, Princess Firyal, at Southwark Crown Court. Prosecutors had said her nephew acted as a conduit for sales of the items.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2A jury at Southwark Crown Court cleared housekeeper Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, 71, of stealing jewellery from her employer, a Jordanian princess, after deliberating for less than two hours. The NationalN “A jury in London took less than two hours to clear Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, 71, of theft.” Read at The National ↗ Evening StandardN “But jurors cleared her on Tuesday of a theft by employee charge” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 2She had been accused of taking items from the Belgravia home of Princess Firyal, 81, after the princess left the UK for Jordan at the outbreak of Covid in 2020. The Evening Standard names her as Princess Firyal Irshaid. The NationalN “accused of stealing</a> several items from the home in Belgravia when Princess Firyal, 81, flew to Jordan at the outbreak of Covid in 2020” Read at The National ↗ Evening StandardN “Princess Firyal Irshaid, 81, had left the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 2The items included a custom-made sapphire and diamond ring and a wedding ring. Princess Firyal was married to Prince Muhammad bin Talal, the younger brother of King Hussein of Jordan, from 1964 to 1978. Evening StandardN “including a wedding ring and a custom-made sapphire and diamond ring, from her former employer” Read at Evening Standard ↗ 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 ↗
Centre · 2Princess Firyal told the court she learned of the loss when a jeweller friend phoned to say her jewellery had appeared at auction. The Evening Standard says the friend was Pierre Jeannet of the jewellery maker JAR, who made the ring, and that he called on 21 November 2020 to say it was on the cover of an auction catalogue. The National says the auction was in Canterbury. The NationalN “a jeweller friend called to tell her they had appeared for auction in Canterbury” Read at The National ↗ Evening StandardN “She said her friend, Pierre Jeannet, a partner in high-end jewellery maker JAR who had crafted the ring, called on November 21 2020.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 2The court heard that a search of Taborda Henao's home in Fulham found the princess's wedding ring, a pair of earrings and a necklace. The princess had thought the wedding ring was lost years earlier. The NationalN “police found Princess Firyal’s wedding ring, a pair of earrings and a necklace during a search of Ms Taborda Henao’s home in Fulham” Read at The National ↗ Evening StandardN “police found the princess’s wedding ring, a pair of earrings, and a jewelled metal necklace” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 2Taborda Henao, who is from Colombia, worked for the princess for 11 years. She told the court through a Spanish interpreter that she had no knowledge of items being stolen and sold, and denied any involvement. She said the princess had called her a thief and made the same accusation against other staff, and then calmed down. Evening StandardN “Asked if she was aware that any items were stolen and being sold, Taborda Henao replied: “No.””““She used to tell all of us the same thing.”” Read at Evening Standard ↗ The NationalN “had worked for Princess Firyal for 11 years” Read at The National ↗
Centre · 2Her nephew, Julian Ramirez, is said to have acted as a "key conduit for the sale of stolen property". The Evening Standard reports he transferred £17,835 to Taborda Henao between 23 June 2019 and 28 November 2020. He was arrested but is believed to have flown to Colombia in October 2023 while on police bail. Evening StandardN “transferred £17,835 to Taborda Henao between June 23 2019 and November 28 2020” Read at Evening Standard ↗ The NationalN “He was also arrested but fled to Colombia in October 2023 while on police bail.” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 1Jurors also heard that the princess agreed to let Taborda Henao's sister, Ramirez's mother, move into the property early in the pandemic, and then agreed to pay her a salary. Evening StandardN “Jurors heard the princess agreed for Taborda Henao’s sister, Ramirez’s mother, to move into the property during the early stages of the pandemic” Read at Evening Standard ↗
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.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets report the acquittal as a court story. The National gives a short summary built around the verdict and the princess's royal connections. The Evening Standard gives more trial detail, including the defendant's testimony.
- Emphasis
- The National stresses the princess's marriage into Jordan's royal family and the jewellery found at the defendant's home. The Evening Standard quotes the defence examination, the money transferred by the nephew and the discovery of the ring at auction.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The National leaves out the £17,835 transfers, the named jeweller and the sister's move into the house. The Evening Standard leaves out the Canterbury auction location.
- Charged language
- “key conduit for the sale of stolen property”
- For example
-
“A long-serving housekeeper has been found not guilty of stealing expensive jewellery from her employer, a Jordanian princess.” — The National
“her beloved jewellery collection was taken from her Belgravia home and put up for sale” — Evening Standard
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Taborda Henao, 71, was found not guilty of theft by a jury at Southwark Crown Court after under two hours.
- The jewellery belonged to Princess Firyal, 81, and went missing from her Belgravia home in 2020.
- Police found a wedding ring, earrings and a necklace at the defendant's Fulham home.
- Her nephew Julian Ramirez was said to have been a conduit for sales and left for Colombia in October 2023 while on bail.
Where accounts differ
-
Where the jewellery was offered for sale
- Centre
- The National says it appeared at auction in Canterbury; the Evening Standard says only that it was on the cover of an auction house catalogue.
Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao person
Denied knowing items were stolen or being sold and denied involvement. She said the princess habitually accused staff of theft.
“She also denied any involvement.” — Evening Standard
“the princess had called her a thief and made similar accusations against other people” — The National
Princess Firyal Irshaid person
Told the court her jewellery was missing and that she learned of it through a friend who saw her ring in an auction catalogue.
““He told me my ring, made specially for my engagement, was on the cover of a catalogue in an auction house.”” — Evening Standard
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
-
Housekeeper cleared of stealing Jordanian princess’s jewels
Neutral Brief verdict report with background on the princess's marriage and the evidence the court heard.
-
Belgravia housekeeper cleared of stealing jewellery from Jordanian princess
Neutral Fuller trial report that opens sympathetically toward the princess ('beloved jewellery collection') but gives the defendant's testimony at length.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 13 Oct 17:14 First The NationalN Housekeeper cleared of stealing Jordanian princess’s jewels
- 14 Oct 06:47 +13h 33m Evening StandardN Belgravia housekeeper cleared of stealing jewellery from Jordanian princess
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…