A Colombian housekeeper is on trial accused of stealing valuable jewellery from Princess Firyal of Jordan while the royal was visiting family in Jordan during the coronavirus pandemic. The trial began at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday.

Maria Taborda Henao, 71, is alleged to have taken a collection of irreplaceable items, including diamond rings, bracelets, watches, and earrings, from the princess’s £6 million home in Belgravia, London, in 2020. Among the items reportedly taken was the princess’s wedding ring.

According to the prosecution, the theft occurred while Princess Firyal, 80, was abroad in March 2020. Henao, who was employed as the housekeeper, allegedly took advantage of the princess’s absence. The jewellery included a Cartier brooch, diamond and ruby earrings, and diamond and ruby rings.

The court also heard that Henao’s nephew, Julian Ramirez, 43, is implicated in the case for allegedly selling the stolen jewellery. It is claimed Rodriguez transferred nearly £18,000 from the sale proceeds to Henao. Prosecutors contend that Ramirez sold several pieces through Canterbury Auction Galleries, receiving approximately £90,000 in total. Ramirez has reportedly told authorities he was using the money to launch a restaurant.

The case came to light after Pierre Jeannet, a partner at the Parisian jeweller JAR, contacted Princess Firyal on November 21, 2020. Jeannet alerted her that a sapphire and diamond ring made for the princess had been sold through an auction house. Following this, Firyal reported the matter to police.

Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of Henao, who was cautioned, and Ramirez, who was initially detained on police bail but then fled to Colombia. A search of Henao’s residence in Fulham, west London, on November 27 turned up jewellery believed to have been stolen, including the princess’s wedding ring, which she had thought lost.

Princess Firyal reviewed multiple auction listings for her jewellery that appeared between June and November 2020. When she returned home in May 2021, she discovered a significant amount of her collection was missing.

Henao denies the charges of theft. The trial is ongoing.