Police Scotland has confirmed active inquiries are underway regarding a 1999 visit to the Balmoral estate by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, following an invitation from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Detectives stated that the investigation is at a very early stage and focuses on allegations that women were trafficked to the royal property in the Scottish Highlands.
Active Inquiries Open Into Balmoral Estate Visit
Police Scotland announced that investigators received information regarding the historical stay, prompting an evidence-led review. A force spokesperson emphasized that victim survivors remain at the heart of the ongoing inquiries, though officials declined to confirm specific operational details, noting it would be inappropriate to comment further while the review develops.
Scottish police investigate Epstein’s visits to royal estate with former prince Andrew——Police in Scotland have launched an investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's visits to Balmoral, a private royal estate in Scotland, where he spent time with former prince… pic.twitter.com/dIaWbRd6QS
The investigation centers on a 1999 visit where convicted paedophile Epstein and convicted sex trafficker Maxwell stayed at the Glen Beg log cabin on the private royal estate, reportedly on the invitation of the then Prince Andrew. Undated photographs from the US Department of Justice show Epstein and Maxwell relaxing on the grounds, alongside images capturing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Epstein on a shooting trip during the same period.
Wider UK Police Investigations Following Epstein Files Release
The National Police Chiefs’ Council confirmed that several other British police forces maintain live investigations linked to the broader release of Epstein files. Agencies including Thames Valley Police, the Metropolitan Police, and Surrey Police are reviewing potential offenses, suspects, and witnesses in a process authorities describe as complex and time-consuming.
The scrutiny follows the February arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on his 66th birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. That separate arrest stemmed from allegations that he shared sensitive information with Epstein during his time as the UK’s trade envoy. He was interviewed under caution, released under investigation, and consistently denies wrongdoing.
Archival Correspondence and Royal Estate Stays
Previously released court documents and email caches detail communications between Maxwell and an individual using the pseudonym “the Invisible Man.” An August 2001 message indicated the sender was staying at the “Balmoral summer camp for the royal family” and asked Maxwell to provide “inappropriate friends.” Another email sent to Maxwell in August 2001 by the sender using the name the Invisible Man stated that their valet had recently died and that they had left the RN, with Mountbatten-Windsor having left the Royal Navy the month before the email was sent. Subsequent correspondence from March 2002 showed Maxwell passing along telephone numbers and mentioning that Andrew would be pleased with certain contacts.
The former Duke of York previously faced civil litigation brought by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked to him at a property belonging to Maxwell. Andrew paid Giuffre, a woman he has claimed never to have met, millions of pounds to settle a civil suit in the US in 2022. Giuffre died by suicide at age 41 in April 2025.