By Islam El-Sakka
Police Scotland has confirmed it is conducting active inquiries into the activities of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell during their visits to Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire. The force said the inquiries are at a very early stage and are evidence-led, with the needs of victim survivors at the heart of the investigation.
Active inquiries at early stage
A Police Scotland spokesperson said the force had received information and that active inquiries are ongoing. The spokesperson declined to comment further, stating it would be inappropriate to do so while inquiries continue. Representatives of Mountbatten-Windsor have been contacted for comment.
Flight logs and email evidence
According to the Daily Express, flight logs show Mountbatten-Windsor and Maxwell flew from Luton to Edinburgh on Epstein’s private jet with two other passengers on 1 September 2006. An image of Epstein and Maxwell at Balmoral, thought to have been taken in 1999, was released by US prosecutors during Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial. Additionally, an email from someone identified as “A” at Balmoral, dated 16 August 2001, asked Maxwell for “new inappropriate friends.”
Background on Epstein and Maxwell
Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in 2019 at age 66 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in the United States. Ghislaine Maxwell, 60, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for her role in procuring girls for Epstein. Both were reportedly regular guests at royal residences in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Prince Andrew’s legal situation
Last October, it was confirmed that Andrew had been stripped of his “prince” title and would leave his Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge. In February, he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office following information from the Epstein files released in the US, and later released. Earlier this month, it emerged he is taking legal action against Thames Valley Police over search warrants issued before his arrest. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing linked to his association with Epstein.
