Police Scotland opens early-stage probe into Andrew and Epstein's Balmoral stay

Police probe into the Balmoral stay

Police Scotland says it has received information and that its probe is at a very early stage. The inquiry concerns the time Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Duke of York, spent with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at Balmoral, the Highland home of the royal family.

“We have received information and active inquiries are ongoing, but these are at a very early stage.”

Investigators say every inquiry is evidence-led, with victim survivors at its centre, but they will not discuss details of the work. The Daily Express reported that the inquiries relate to claims that women were trafficked to the estate, and police have not confirmed that account. Pictures released earlier by the US Department of Justice appear to show Andrew and Epstein on a shooting trip at the property.

Links between the men and the estate

Epstein visited Balmoral in 1999, reportedly at the invitation of the then-Prince Andrew. An undated photograph from that period appears to show Epstein and Maxwell at the Glen Beg log cabin on the royal estate, and British media reports say Maxwell was also present during the stay. Epstein died in prison in 2019, while Maxwell, now a convicted sex trafficker, is also in prison. Virginia Giuffre, one of the women who said they were sexually exploited within Epstein's network, has said she was forced to have sexual relations with Andrew. Andrew has denied those accusations and has previously denied any wrongdoing over his Epstein links.

Arrest and UK-wide investigations

Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on 19 February, his 66th birthday, after allegations that he shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as the UK's trade envoy. He was interviewed under caution and released under investigation, and he denies wrongdoing. Thames Valley Police, the Metropolitan Police and Surrey Police also have live investigations linked to the release of the Epstein files, the National Police Chiefs' Council confirmed, though it said there is no national investigation.

The release of a tranche of about two million documents by the US Department of Justice has prompted probes across the country. The NPCC set up a national co-ordination group earlier this year, working with the National Crime Agency to help forces obtain information from overseas law enforcement agencies.

“Identifying any further potential offending, suspects, victims or witnesses is a complex process and will take time.”

The NPCC has described sharing documents between countries' investigators as an extremely complex process, and it says the material will be assessed thoroughly.

What comes next

Police Scotland has declined to comment further on its ongoing inquiries. Its statement does not indicate any new criminal charges against Andrew, and it does not say whether anyone trafficked to Balmoral has been identified. The NPCC has said that assessing the material will take time because of the volume of documents and the complexity of international jurisdictions. The misconduct probe into Andrew also remains ongoing.