Princess Firyal’s Colombian housekeeper accused of stealing jewellery collection
A Jordanian princess discovered that her Colombian housekeeper is accused of stealing her valuable jewellery collection, after her engagement ring appeared on the front cover of an auction house catalogue. Firyal Irshaid, 81, learnt of the alleged theft in November 2020 when a friend spotted the piece in a catalogue from Canterbury Auction Galleries, leading her to investigate further. The case highlights the vulnerability of high-value household possessions and the risks of leaving staff with unsupervised access to valuable collections during the pandemic.
The housekeeper, Taborda Henao, had worked for Princess Firyal for 11 years before being left alone to manage the Belgravia home when the princess evacuated to Jordan in March 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Her nephew, Julian Ramirez, is accused of acting as a 'key conduit for the sale of stolen property' and transferred £17,835 to Henao between June 2019 and November 2020. The princess has gathered evidence from three separate auctions held in 2020, including catalogues, bills of sale, photographs and documents, to prove ownership of the stolen pieces in court.
- Princess discovered engagement ring in auction catalogue, exposing housekeeper's alleged theft.
- Housekeeper Taborda Henao had worked for princess for 11 years.
- Nephew allegedly transferred £17,835 whilst facilitating sale of stolen jewellery.
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Princess Firyal Irshaid is an 81-year-old member of the Jordanian royal family. In late 2020, she discovered that jewellery from her valuable collection, including her engagement ring, had been stolen and subsequently put up for auction at a London auction house.
The alleged theft occurred while the princess evacuated to Jordan in March 2020 during the early Covid-19 pandemic, leaving her Belgravia home under the care of her housekeeper, Taborda Henao, who had worked for her for 11 years. The housekeeper and her nephew, Julian Ramirez, are accused of orchestrating the theft and arranging the sale of the stolen pieces at multiple auctions during 2020.
The case raises broader questions about the risks faced by wealthy households when staff are left unsupervised with access to valuable possessions, particularly during periods of absence. It illustrates how precious collections can be vulnerable to theft and how stolen items can potentially enter the legitimate auction market.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Jordanian princess found out her Colombian housekeeper had stolen her jewellery when it appeared in auction house magazine, court told”.