Balmoral Investigation: Scotland Police Probe Royal Visits
Officers are examining claims that women were trafficked to the King’s Highland estate during Jeffrey Epstein’s 1999 stay.
By Wyatt Cooper ·
Police Scotland has opened a formal inquiry into the period when former Prince Andrew spent time with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the Balmoral estate. The force announced the probe on Friday, confirming that it began after receiving new information about the visits.
The investigation focuses on claims that women were trafficked to the King’s private Highland property. This scrutiny follows the release of millions of pages of documents by the United States Department of Justice earlier this year. Those records included images showing Epstein and Maxwell on a shooting trip at Balmoral in 1999. The files were published as part of a congressional review of Epstein’s connections to influential figures globally.
Police Scotland described the inquiry as being at a very early stage. The force stated that it would not confirm specific details or the exact offenses under review, noting that all investigations are evidence-led. The department emphasized that the needs of victim survivors remain at the heart of the process. A spokesperson added that it would be inappropriate to comment further on ongoing inquiries.
This is not the first time UK law enforcement has examined information from the Epstein Files. The Metropolitan Police Service, Thames Valley Police, and Surrey Police are also conducting their own investigations into the released documents. In February, Thames Valley officers arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was held for several hours before being released on police bail pending further investigation.
The February arrest marked the first time in nearly four centuries that a senior British royal had been taken into custody. Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, is the younger brother of King Charles III. He has repeatedly denied committing any crimes. His legal troubles stem from a relationship with Epstein that has strained the monarchy for nearly two decades. The King stripped his brother of his princely title late last year and ordered him to leave the Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle.
Mountbatten-Windsor now resides in a house at Sandringham, the King’s privately owned estate in eastern England. His reputation has been damaged by allegations dating back to 2008, when Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution. In 2011, Virginia Giuffre alleged that Epstein trafficked her and forced her to have sex with the former prince when she was 17. A 2019 BBC interview, intended to address the scandal, drew criticism for the former prince’s explanations and perceived lack of empathy.
Source: Al Jazeera
