It's now believed the four statues removed from outside Dublin's Shelbourne Hotel depict royals and don't include "slave girls".
Dublin City Council's issued a warning letter to the owners after the 153 year-old sculptures were removed, as they are part of a protected structure.
The Shelbourne has been given four weeks to respond to the section 152 letter over concerns planning permission was never applied for.
It's understood the bronze life-size statues were taken away in light of the Black Lives Matter campaign and that they were linked to slavery.
But it's now thought the shackles around their ankles are actually jewelry and that all four depict female royals.
Fine Gael councillor Paddy McCartan thinks the hotel was too quick to get rid of them;
"I am convinced by the arguments that four princesses, who were actually wealthy, the drapery and the jewelry signified wealth, so that it was a complete miscall from the hotel."
