Crimeupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 26 October 2021Police Scotland Investigates Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell at Balmoral
7 Western Mainstream2 Other1 Latin AmericanPhoto: Daniel Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cropped for layout
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Police Scotland is investigating Balmoral stays involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Epstein, and Maxwell. Inquiry began after receiving information and remains at a very early, ongoing stage.
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10 outlets told this the same way.
Balmoral visits probed
Police Scotland opened active inquiries into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell during their time at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, after the force said it had received information about allegations that women were trafficked to the royal residence. Police Scotland said its inquiries were at "a very early stage" and that it would be inappropriate to comment further, while the Daily Express reported the investigation related to allegations that women were trafficked to Balmoral. Police Scotland said "at a very early stage" and that all enquiries were evidence-led, with the needs of victim survivors at the heart of those enquiries.
Police Scotland also said it would "never confirm details of ongoing inquiries" as the investigation focused on the time Mountbatten-Windsor spent with Epstein and Maxwell at the royal estate. The BBC said Police Scotland’s inquiries were linked to the same Balmoral allegations, and the force said it was making inquiries into the activities of Epstein and Maxwell during their time at Balmoral Castle.
Victim survivors at center
Police Scotland spokespersons told reporters that "All inquiries are evidence led, with the needs of victim survivors at the heart of those inquiries" as the force declined to preview what it was investigating. Police Scotland said, "We would never confirm details of ongoing inquiries and it would be inappropriate to comment further," and the force said it was inappropriate to comment further on the nature of the probe. John Swinney said he understood the seriousness of the points made and the concern expressed, and he said the matter was an operational matter for Police Scotland to investigate.
Andy Burnham said he did not want to comment on the police inquiries, which "should properly be independent," while Mountbatten-Windsor continued to deny wrongdoing linked to his association with Epstein. The New York Times said Police Scotland refused to comment further on the nature of the investigation, while the police statement emphasized that the needs of victim survivors were at the heart of the enquiries.
Broader fallout and next steps
Police Scotland’s Balmoral inquiries followed earlier scrutiny around Epstein’s private jet and flight logs, with the BBC saying flight logs showed Mountbatten-Windsor and Maxwell flew from Luton to Edinburgh on Epstein’s private jet with two other passengers on 1 September 2006. Epstein and Maxwell image believed to show them at Balmoral was released by US prosecutors during Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial, and the message signed "A" asked Maxwell for "new inappropriate friends". Police Scotland’s investigation was amid allegations that women were trafficked to the royal estate, while the force said it had received "information" and inquiries were at a "very early stage".
The National Police Chiefs’ Council confirmed other investigations linked to the release of the Epstein files were ongoing within forces including Thames Valley police, the Metropolitan police and Surrey police. Jeffrey Epstein was 66 when he died by suicide in 2019 in a US prison while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges, and Maxwell was jailed in 2022 for her role in procuring girls for Epstein.
