Police Scotland opens probe into 1999 Balmoral visit
Officers are examining claims that women were trafficked to the royal estate during a trip with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
By Kenji Garnier ·
Police Scotland opened an investigation on Friday into the time the former Prince Andrew spent with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the Balmoral estate.
The force stated that inquiries began after it received specific information, though it described the probe as being at a very early stage. Authorities did not disclose the nature of the information or the specific offenses under review.
The Daily Express first reported the development, noting that the inquiries relate to claims women were trafficked to the king's private estate in the Scottish Highlands.
Police Scotland said all inquiries are evidence-led and that victim survivor needs remain central to the process. The force declined to comment further, stating it was inappropriate to discuss ongoing cases.
The probe follows the release of images by the U.S. Department of Justice that appear to show Epstein and Maxwell on a shooting trip at Balmoral in 1999. These photos were part of millions of pages of documents published earlier this year as Congress examined Epstein's links to influential figures worldwide.
Officials noted that the presence of a name or image in the files does not prove wrongdoing. Several other U.K. police forces, including the Metropolitan Police, Thames Valley Police, and Surrey Police, are also investigating information from the Epstein files.
In February, Thames Valley Police arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The 66-year-old, now known by his full name, was held for several hours before being released on police bail. This marked the first arrest of a senior British royal in nearly four centuries.
Mountbatten-Windsor has repeatedly denied committing crimes. His connection to Epstein has strained the royal family for nearly two decades. King Charles III stripped his brother of his princely title late last year and ordered him to leave the Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle. Mountbatten-Windsor now resides at Sandringham in eastern England.
The former prince's reputation was damaged after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution. In 2011, Virginia Giuffre alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor at age 17. A lengthy 2019 BBC interview intended to address the scandal drew criticism for lacking empathy for victims.
The next step in the Scottish investigation has not been publicly scheduled, with officers focusing on gathering evidence from the initial information received.
Source: KXAS-TV
