Police Scotland Opens Balmoral Enquiries Involving Andrew and Epstein Amid Reported Trafficking Claims

Police Scotland confirmed on Friday, 30 October 2026, that it was conducting early-stage Balmoral enquiries concerning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

The enquiries concern information about their time at the royal estate in Aberdeenshire, amid reported trafficking allegations.

Epstein and Maxwell reportedly visited Balmoral in 1999 at the invitation of the then-Prince Andrew. The visit has drawn fresh scrutiny following the release of photographs and correspondence involving the late financier and his former associate.

The Scottish Daily Express reported that the police enquiries relate to claims women were trafficked to Balmoral. Police Scotland has neither confirmed that account nor identified Andrew as a suspect in any trafficking offence.

A force spokesperson said officers had received information and that 'active inquiries are ongoing', although the work remained at a 'very early stage'.

The spokesperson added that enquiries would be evidence-led and centred on the needs of victim-survivors.

Police Examine Epstein and Maxwell's Reported Balmoral Visit

Photographs shown during Maxwell's 2021 US sex-trafficking trial depicted her and Epstein at what appeared to be a log cabin on the Balmoral estate. Their visit is thought to have occurred in 1999, but the precise date of the photographs has not been established.

Those images should not be confused with separate pictures released by the US Department of Justice. The later material appears to show Andrew and Epstein together on a shooting trip at Balmoral.

Both sets of pictures have renewed questions about access to the royal estate. Neither establishes that anyone was trafficked there or that Andrew committed a criminal offence.

A separate account cited in reporting alleged Andrew welcomed people accompanying Epstein and Maxwell to the castle. IBTimes UK has not independently verified that account, which remains an allegation rather than an established finding.

The police have declined to describe the information they received or say whether any criminal offence is suspected. They have also given no public timetable for their enquiries.

Andrew's 2006 Edinburgh Flight Draws Earlier Police Interest

Police Scotland had already appealed for information about Epstein's private jet using Edinburgh Airport. In February 2026, officers said they wanted to hear from anyone with relevant knowledge of the journey.

Flight records released in the United States list Andrew and Maxwell as passengers travelling from Luton to Edinburgh on 1 September 2006. Epstein was not listed as a passenger on that flight, as reported by the Press Association in 2025.

There is no confirmation that this journey forms part of the new Balmoral enquiries. A flight record establishes travel, not what happened after passengers landed.

Documents released by the US Department of Justice provide another glimpse of Balmoral's place in the Epstein correspondence. An email dated 16 August 2001 came from an account labelled 'The Invisible Man' and was signed 'A'.

The writer claimed to be at Balmoral and asked Maxwell whether she had found any 'new inappropriate friends'. The sender has not been conclusively identified, and the message alone does not establish wrongdoing.

Maxwell was convicted of sex-trafficking offences in the United States in 2021 and sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in 2022. Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.

Andrew Faces Separate Misconduct Investigation

The Scottish enquiries are separate from a Thames Valley Police investigation concerning Andrew's former role as a UK trade envoy. He was arrested on 19 February 2026 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, questioned and released under investigation.

Thames Valley Police confirmed on 8 October that its investigation remained ongoing. The force also warned journalists about active legal proceedings and the risk of contempt of court. Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing and has not been charged.

Buckingham Palace announced on 30 October 2025 that King Charles had initiated a formal process to remove Andrew's royal style, titles and honours. Letters Patent dated 3 November removed his princely dignity and the style of Royal Highness.

His Duke of York title was removed from the Roll of the Peerage, although that did not legally extinguish the hereditary peerage itself.

The National Police Chiefs' Council says Thames Valley Police, the Metropolitan Police Service and Surrey Police are also examining Epstein-related material. It has stressed that there is no national investigation.

Police Scotland has not said whether its Balmoral enquiries will lead to formal allegations or identify any suspects. For now, officers have confirmed only that information has been received and is being examined.