Police Scotland, USA News: Police are investigating Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s trips with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to Balmoral. Epstein visited the estate in Scotland with Maxwell in 1999, reportedly on the invitation of Mountbatten-Windsor. Police Scotland said it had received information and a probe is at a very early stage into the time the disgraced royal spent with the late financier at the estate. Reports indicate the inquiries relate to claims that women were trafficked to the estate.
A Police Scotland spokesperson stated they have received information and active enquiries are ongoing at a very early stage. All enquiries are evidence led, with the needs of victim survivors at the heart of those enquiries, and officials noted it would be inappropriate to comment further on ongoing matters.
Background on Royal Association and US Department of Justice Files
Mountbatten-Windsor has faced longstanding scrutiny over his association with Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019. Epstein and Maxwell appeared to have visited royal residences on several occasions in the late 1990s and early 2000s. An image of the pair at Balmoral, thought to have been taken in 1999, was released by prosecutors during Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial in 2021. Another undated image released by the US Department of Justice previously showed Maxwell and Epstein on a shooting trip near the estate.
Police Scotland launched an appeal for information after the department released millions of files relating to its criminal investigation into the financier. At the time, a spokesperson noted the force had not received any report or complaint in relation to the matter, but urged anyone with information to come forward.
UK-Wide Police Inquiries Into Epstein Links
Nine police forces across the UK launched probes into Epstein’s links to Britain after the US Department of Justice released more than 3.5 million documents in January. The Metropolitan Police launched a review of suggestions that London airports may have been used to facilitate human trafficking and sexual exploitation, and is leading a misconduct in public office investigation into Lord Peter Mandelson over claims he leaked market-sensitive material to Epstein while serving as business secretary. Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing.
Other forces, including West Midlands Police, Essex Police, Bedfordshire Police, and Norfolk Police, have assessed or reviewed documents concerning private flights into and out of airports such as Birmingham, Stansted, and Luton. Surrey Police launched a probe into claims of human trafficking and sexual assault dating back to 1994, while Thames Valley Police arrested the former Duke of York in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office after emails allegedly showed him sharing confidential information with Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy from 2001 to 2011. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing linked to his association with Epstein.
Flight Records and Palace Response
Flight records published by the US House Oversight Committee show Maxwell may have had a fleeting visit to the royal estate in September 2006, flying into Edinburgh Airport with Mountbatten-Windsor from Luton on Epstein’s aircraft. While Epstein was not on board that specific flight, he had accompanied Mountbatten-Windsor and Maxwell two months earlier at Princess Beatrice’s 18th birthday at Royal Lodge.
Buckingham Palace is expected to cooperate with the Police Scotland investigation. A palace spokeswoman noted the Royal Household could not comment due to the King’s role as the ultimate source of judicial authority and the risk of prejudicing inquiries. However, the King previously vowed to help police and expressed sympathy with Epstein’s victims following Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest in February.
