Police Scotland has opened an early-stage investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's 1999 stay at Balmoral Castle as guests of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the force confirmed Friday.
The inquiry focuses on allegations that women were trafficked to the royal estate during the visit, according to The Daily Express. It adds to ongoing legal scrutiny of the former prince's connections to the convicted sex offenders.
What Police Scotland is investigating
Police Scotland said it had received "information" and that active inquiries are ongoing, but stressed they are at a "very early stage." A spokesperson told The Guardian: "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 force provided a similar statement to ABC News, saying it would not name Mountbatten-Windsor, Epstein or Maxwell in its official statement but responded to a direct request about their time at Balmoral.
Emails reference 'Balmoral summer camp' and 'inappropriate friends'
The investigation follows the January 2026 release of roughly 3 million pages of Epstein documents by the U.S. Department of Justice. Among the material are emails that have drawn investigators' attention.
- An email signed "A" asked Maxwell for "inappropriate friends."
- An email from someone using the name "the Invisible Man," dated 16 August 2001, stated the sender was at "Balmoral summer camp for the royal family" and asked Maxwell: "Have you found me some inappropriate friends?" Mountbatten-Windsor left the Royal Navy the month before that email was sent.
- A March 2002 email from Maxwell to the Invisible Man said she had passed a message to an unnamed individual beginning: "I just gave Andrew your telephone no." and that "Andrew" would be "very happy" if he did some "two legged sight seeing."
Pictures previously released by the U.S. Department of Justice appear to show Andrew and Epstein shooting on the Balmoral estate, The Guardian reported.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's legal status
Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, was arrested on 19 February 2026 — his 66th birthday — on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his time as UK special representative for international trade and investment from 2001-11. He was interviewed under caution and released under investigation. He denies wrongdoing.
The arrest came after his name appeared in the Epstein files released by the U.S. Department of Justice in January 2026. Two years ago he was stripped of his "prince" title and moved out of his royal residence amid fallout from his interactions with Epstein.
In 2022, he paid Virginia Giuffre millions of pounds to settle a U.S. civil suit in which she alleged she was trafficked to him at Maxwell's home. Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025 at age 41.
Buckingham Palace told ABC News: "The palace does not speak for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and cannot comment on an ongoing police investigation."
Other UK forces reviewing Epstein files
The National Police Chiefs' Council confirmed that investigations linked to the Epstein files release are also ongoing within Thames Valley Police, the Metropolitan Police and Surrey Police. An NPCC spokesperson said: "Identifying any further potential offending, suspects, victims or witnesses is a complex process and will take time, but UK policing remains committed to carrying out a meticulous assessment of the material released by the US Department of Justice."
The NPCC said there is no national investigation at present.
Epstein was convicted in 2008 of soliciting sex from girls and died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell is serving a 20-year U.S. prison sentence after her 2021 conviction on five felony counts of sex trafficking a minor.