Key Points
- Police Scotland has opened an active inquiry into visits Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell made to Balmoral Castle as guests of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
- Officers confirmed they received information about time spent at the King’s Aberdeenshire estate.
- Media reports state the inquiry focuses on allegations that women were trafficked to the property during those visits.
- Police Scotland said the probe is at a very early stage, remains strictly evidence-led, and prioritises victim survivors.
- The review comes after the release of US Department of Justice files containing flight logs, photographs, and emails sent from Balmoral.
- Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor denies all allegations of wrongdoing regarding his connection to Epstein and Maxwell.
Aberdeenshire (Birmingham Express) October 31, 2026 – Detectives in Scotland have formally initiated an active police inquiry into the time spent by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell at Balmoral Castle, following the receipt of new information.
The Scottish law enforcement body confirmed that officers are reviewing details surrounding historical visits made by the late convicted paedophile financier and his former partner to the King’s private retreat in Aberdeenshire.
As reported by Tom Barnes and Holly Evans of The Independent, Police Scotland stated that its inquiries were initiated after receiving specific material regarding the royal estate. A spokesperson for Police Scotland said:
“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 inquiries and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
The development comes after media outlets reported that the inquiries specifically centre on claims that women and young girls were trafficked to the Scottish estate during royal gatherings.
What evidence has emerged regarding Epstein and Maxwell at Balmoral?
As reported by The Herald Scotland, court evidence and newly released US Department of Justice records previously verified that Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell visited the Balmoral estate in 1999 as personal guests of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was then known as Prince Andrew.
Photographs released by US authorities depicted Epstein and Maxwell together on a shooting excursion outside a log cabin situated within the Aberdeenshire grounds.
Further documentation from US legal disclosures included flight logs recording aircraft movements into and out of Scottish airports involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Maxwell, and Epstein.
Emails disclosed within the files included correspondence sent in August 2001 from an individual identified in records as “The Invisible Man” or “A”, sent while attending what was described as the “Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family”.
One email addressed to Ghislaine Maxwell explicitly contained the inquiry asking whether she had found “some inappropriate friends” for the sender.
As reported by Al Jazeera, the disclosures have intensified public and legal scrutiny regarding the extent of activities conducted across royal residences during Epstein’s visits to the United Kingdom.
How does this inquiry relate to ongoing legal issues surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor?
The Police Scotland inquiry represents another layer of legal scrutiny facing the former Duke of York.
Earlier this year, on 19 February 2026, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested by police officers on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
That arrest followed allegations concerning his time serving as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment, specifically concerning whether sensitive official information was shared with Epstein.
He was interviewed under caution before being released under investigation, with that separate police probe remaining active.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has persistently maintained his innocence regarding all aspects of his friendship with Epstein and Maxwell.
He previously stepped down from public duties following a controversial 2019 BBC News interview and subsequently settled a civil lawsuit in the US in 2022 brought by primary accuser Virginia Giuffre, without admitting liability.
As reported by ITV News, law enforcement bodies have clarified that there is currently no overarching national police investigation across all UK forces, but individual territorial forces continue to review information as it is submitted. A representative statement from media coverage emphasized:
“The former Duke of York has repeatedly and unequivocally denied any involvement in or knowledge of wrongdoing relating to Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell.”
Background of the particular development
The friendship between Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Jeffrey Epstein dates back to the late 1990s, facilitated through British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
Over several years, Epstein visited various royal residences across the United Kingdom, including Sandringham, Windsor Castle, and Balmoral Castle.
Following Epstein’s arrest in 2019 and subsequent death in a New York jail cell while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges, public scrutiny over his high-profile connections intensified significantly.
Maxwell was later convicted in New York in December 2021 for her role in recruiting and grooming minor girls for Epstein’s abuse, receiving a 20-year prison sentence.
In response to the growing scandal, King Charles III took formal steps to strip his brother of his remaining royal titles and military affiliations, leading to his formal designation as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Unsealed court records and Department of Justice document releases over recent years have systematically exposed communications and flight movements, prompting UK police forces, including Police Scotland, to review newly surfaced allegations relating to potential crimes committed on British soil.
Prediction: How this development can affect the British public and the monarchy
This development is likely to have significant ramifications for both the British public and the institution of the monarchy.
For the British public, the opening of a active police inquiry concerning royal property reinforces demands for total transparency and equal accountability under the law, regardless of position or status. It keeps issues of human trafficking and historic abuse at the forefront of public consciousness, potentially encouraging further victim survivors or witnesses to step forward with information.
For the Royal Family and the monarchy as an institution, ongoing police probes present a persistent reputational challenge.
Despite official actions by King Charles III to distance the working monarchy from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the association of private royal estates like Balmoral with criminal investigations risks damaging public trust and institutional prestige.
As Police Scotland continues its evidence-led review, continued legal disclosures and potential police interviews will ensure that the subject remains under active judicial and media scrutiny across the United Kingdom and internationally.
