Police Scotland probe royal visits to Balmoral with Epstein and Maxwell

Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire serves as the private Scottish retreat for the British royal family, a site now under official scrutiny. Police Scotland is investigating information related to the time Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell spent together at the estate. A spokesperson for the force confirmed the inquiry on Friday, stating that active enquiries are ongoing but remain at a very early stage. The police did not name the three individuals in their official statement, which was issued in response to a direct request for comment about their presence at the property.

The investigation focuses on the period when Epstein and Maxwell were known associates of Mountbatten-Windsor. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in the United States after her 2021 conviction on five felony counts. Those charges stemmed from her participation with Epstein in the sexual abuse of young girls over a decade. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minor girls. Mountbatten-Windsor has previously denied any wrongdoing in his relationship with the financier.

Mountbatten-Windsor, a brother of King Charles III, underwent a formal reduction in status two years ago. He was stripped of his prince title and subsequently moved out of his royal residence amid the fallout from his interactions with Epstein. His legal troubles have continued since his name appeared in 3 million pages of documents related to Epstein released by the U.S. Department of Justice in January. In February, he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office stemming from his role as a U.K. trade envoy. He was responsible for promoting British business interests abroad during that period.

The former prince was released under investigation on the evening of his arrest and was not charged. Buckingham Palace addressed the new police inquiry on Friday, noting that the palace does not speak for Mountbatten-Windsor. The palace also stated it could not comment on an ongoing police investigation. Police Scotland emphasized that all enquiries are evidence-led, with the needs of victim survivors at the heart of the process. The force noted it would never confirm details of ongoing enquiries and that it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.

The investigation marks a new phase in the scrutiny of Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct. The force is examining the specific circumstances of the visits to Balmoral, a location that holds deep symbolic weight for the monarchy. No timeline for the conclusion of the enquiries has been provided. The investigation proceeds alongside the existing legal questions surrounding his trade envoy work.