A housekeeper has been cleared of stealing jewellery from the central London home of a Jordanian princess.

Princess Firyal Irshaid, 81, left the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. While she was away, part of her jewellery collection was taken and put up for sale at an auction house.

Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, 71, who worked for the princess for 11 years, was accused of stealing the items after being left to look after the Belgravia property. She was cleared of a charge of theft by employee by jurors at Southwark Crown Court.

The court heard police found the princess's wedding ring, a pair of earrings and a jewelled metal necklace during a search of Taborda Henao's home in Fulham.

Giving evidence through a Spanish interpreter, Taborda Henao, who is also known as Lina, said she had worked for 30 to 35 households, including the late businessman and peer Lord Anthony Jacobs and a Belgian countess.

She told defence barrister Manveer Cheema that staff found relationships with the princess "very hard".

Jurors heard the princess would sometimes accuse staff of being thieves before later calming down.

Princess Firyal married Prince Muhammad bin Talal, the younger brother of King Hussein of Jordan, in 1964. The marriage lasted 14 years.

The princess previously told the court her friend Pierre Jeannet, a partner at luxury jewellery maker JAR, which made her an engagement ring, called her on 21 November 2020.

"He asked: 'Are you selling your jewellery?' And I said: 'No, what are you talking about?'" she said.

"He told me my ring, made specially for my engagement, was on the cover of a catalogue in an auction house."

Jurors were told the princess allowed Taborda Henao's sister, who is Ramirez's mother, to move into the property during the early stages of the pandemic and later agreed to pay her a salary.

The court heard that Taborda Henao's nephew, Julian Ramirez, acted as a "key conduit for the sale of stolen property" and transferred £17,835 to her between 23 June 2019 and 28 November 2020.

Asked whether she knew any stolen items were being sold, Taborda Henao replied: "No."

She also denied any involvement in their disappearance.

Ramirez is believed to have flown to Colombia in October 2023 while on police bail.