A Colombian cleaner has appeared in court charged with stealing £1 million of jewellery from a Jordanian princess at her £6 million Belgravia home.
Maria Taborda Henao, 69, allegedly took diamond rings, bracelets, watches and earrings while working for the Princess Firyal of Jordan.
Taborda Henao is said to have stolen the jewellery belonging to the 80-year-old princess before a male relative sold the items through an auction house in Kent.
She and her male relative were first arrested in November 2020.
She appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with theft between 1 February 2020 and 26 November 2020, but the case could not go ahead due to a lack of a Spanish interpreter.
Taborda Henao, of Fulham, was released on bail and told to return to the same court on 14 April.
Princess Firyal, 80, is the former wife of Prince Muhammad bin Talal, the second son of the late King Talal of Jordan.
The humanitarian and philanthropist is the daughter of Farid Mahmoud Irshaid, a political leader who served in the government and as a parliamentarian in the Senate in Jordan.
Maria Taborda Henao, 69, allegedly took diamond rings, bracelets, watches and earrings while working for the Princess Firyal of Jordan (pictured)
Born in Jerusalem in 1945, Princess Firyal (pictured in 1997) grew up as the daughter of Farid Mahmoud Irshaid, a political leader who served in the government and as a parliamentarian in the Senate in Jordan
Her mother Farida was Chair of the Red Crescent Society in The West Bank.
After studying in America, she married Prince Muhammad bin Talal in 1964.
The prince is the second son of Talal bin Abdullah, who was king of Jordan from 1951 until his abdication a year later in 1952.
Princess Firyal and Prince Muhammad bin Talal had two sons during their marriage, Prince Talal and Prince Ghazi.
The couple divorced in 1978 and Princess Firyal became a long-term companion of American businessman Lionel Pincus.
Princess Firyal, an UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador since 1992, holds several philanthropic positions, including as a member of the International Council of the Tate Modern in London.
Taborda Henao is charged with one count of theft by an employee and was bailed until 14 April.
