Police Scotland is conducting inquiries into activities involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell during their time at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire. According to BBC News, the investigation centres on allegations that women were trafficked to the royal residence. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with his association with Epstein.
Police Scotland confirmed that inquiries are underway but remain at an early stage. A spokesperson stated:
We have received information and active inquiries are ongoing but these are at a very early stage. All inquiries are evidence led, with the needs of victim survivors at the heart of those inquiries. We would never confirm details of ongoing enquiries and it would be inappropriate to comment further.The nature of the information received and the full scope of the investigation have not been disclosed, according to Herald Scotland.
Epstein, a financier who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, and Maxwell, a former socialite convicted of sex trafficking in 2022, are understood to have visited Balmoral with Mountbatten-Windsor. Flight logs cited by the Daily Express show that Mountbatten-Windsor and Maxwell travelled from Luton to Edinburgh on Epstein's private jet with two other passengers on 1 September 2006. An image of Epstein and Maxwell at Balmoral, believed to have been taken in 1999 when Mountbatten-Windsor reportedly invited them to stay at the castle, was released by US prosecutors during Maxwell's sex trafficking trial.
Epstein and Maxwell were reportedly regular guests at royal residences during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The Royal family traditionally spend their summers at Balmoral, where Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022.
What prompted the inquiry?
The investigation was triggered following the release of the so-called Epstein Files by the US Department of Justice last year. Among the documents was an email sent to Maxwell on 16 August 2001 from someone identified as 'A', stating:
I am up here at Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family.The sender later asked:
How's LA? Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?before signing off with
see ya A xxx.
In February, Police Scotland indicated it wanted to speak to anyone with information about Epstein's private jet using Edinburgh Airport, though officers said at that time they had not received any reports or complaints relating to the trip.
What is the wider investigation landscape?
The Police Scotland inquiry is part of a broader law enforcement response to the Epstein Files. The National Police Chiefs' Council said several forces—including Thames Valley, the Metropolitan and Surrey police—have live investigations linked to the Epstein files, though it emphasised there is no single national investigation.
What is Mountbatten-Windsor's legal situation?
Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on 19 February on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations that he shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as the UK's trade envoy. He was interviewed under caution and released under investigation. Last October, it was confirmed he had been stripped of his "prince" title and would be leaving his Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge.
Earlier this month, it emerged that Mountbatten-Windsor was taking legal action against Thames Valley Police over search warrants issued before his arrest. Thames Valley Police has since admitted that search warrants used to access Mountbatten-Windsor's homes earlier this year were unlawful, according to a High Court hearing.
What are the key facts?
- Maxwell, now 60, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for her role in procuring girls for Epstein.
- Epstein died in custody in 2019 at the age of 66 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
- Police Scotland has not announced a timetable for the inquiry and says it will not confirm further details of ongoing investigations.
- Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing linked to his association with Epstein.
