Scottish Police Investigate Andrew, Epstein and Maxwell Stays at Balmoral
Police Scotland says active enquiries are under way after receiving information about Balmoral visits, with reporting raising questions about whether women were trafficked to the royal estate.
By Hushread Stories, from 14 outlets · First published 30 Oct 2026
In brief
- Police Scotland is investigating Balmoral stays involving Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
- The force says it has received information and that active enquiries are ongoing at an early stage.
- Reports place the alleged visit in 1999, with Epstein and Maxwell described as guests of Andrew.
- Previously released American government pictures appear to show Andrew and Epstein on a shooting trip at Balmoral.
- Whether young women were trafficked to the estate is a reported focus, not an established finding.
Timeline · 4 moments
Police confirm active enquiries at an early stage
Home | GB News ↗Police say they have received information about visits
Top Stories ↗Previously released pictures appear to show shooting trip
Express & Star ↗Report places alleged Balmoral stay in 1999
La Nacion ↗How it started
The inquiry concerns time Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor spent with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at Balmoral, the royal family's Scottish retreat, according to Sky News and NYT World News.
La Nacion places the alleged stay in 1999 and describes Epstein and Maxwell as Andrew's guests. That reported visit is the historical event behind the police enquiries now being disclosed.
How it unfolded
Pictures previously released by the US Department of Justice appear to show Andrew and Epstein on a shooting trip at the estate, Express & Star reported on October 30. The supplied coverage does not give the pictures' release date or establish what happened beyond the activity they appear to depict.
On October 30, GB News reported that Police Scotland had received "information" and confirmed it had "active enquiries ongoing". The force described the work as being at an early stage.
Reporting that day also raised a more specific question about the visits. According to Sydney Morning Herald, the probe will investigate whether young women were "trafficked" to Balmoral. Daily Mail likewise described claims that Epstein trafficked women to the estate. Those are matters being examined or alleged, not findings established by the coverage.
Where it stands
The clearest confirmed position is that police enquiries are active but preliminary. Express & Star reported the force's description of the investigation as being in its "very early stages".
The supplied reports do not identify the information police received, set out a detailed investigative timetable or report any conclusion about wrongdoing at Balmoral. The police confirmation establishes that enquiries are taking place, not that the allegations have been proved.
What to watch
The central open questions are what information prompted the enquiries and whether investigators establish evidence that women were trafficked to Balmoral. Further police statements could clarify the inquiry's scope, which the current coverage describes only in broad terms.
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