Police Scotland has initiated an investigation into alleged activities involving Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Prince Andrew at Balmoral Castle, the Scottish residence of the Royal Family. The inquiry follows new information suggesting that Epstein trafficked young women to the estate, where he was a guest of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s son in 1999.
Documents reviewed by authorities include a 2019 FBI interview with a woman identified as one of Epstein’s victims. She described herself as a “travelling” massage therapist and indicated that she, along with another young woman, whom Maxwell referred to as her “little sister,” had visited Balmoral on multiple occasions, as well as Palm Beach. The victim stated she had met Prince Andrew several times during these visits but reported no suspicious behavior. The woman’s name is redacted from the documents.
Court records and communications from the broader Epstein Files, which comprise over three million documents, revealed that Epstein encouraged some victims to visit Balmoral and Windsor—the latter referring to the royal estate where Prince Andrew was residing. In a 2001 email, believed to be from Prince Andrew, he mentioned being at “Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family” and inquired about “inappropriate friends.”
Jeffrey Epstein’s private aircraft, dubbed the “Lolita Express,” reportedly flew into Edinburgh Airport in 2006 with Maxwell and Prince Andrew aboard. A photograph used in Maxwell’s trial depicts her and Epstein together outside a log cabin at the Balmoral estate.
Earlier disclosures indicated that Epstein flew a model to Balmoral in 1999 to provide massages to Prince Andrew. The woman, said to be groomed as one of Epstein’s victims, claimed she was asked to massage Andrew but declined, describing the request as “weird” and saying she did not want to comply. It is alleged that Andrew personally welcomed Epstein, Maxwell, and the model upon their arrival and hosted a picnic during the visit.
Police Scotland stated that the probe is in its preliminary stages after receiving new information. The Royal Family traditionally spends summers at Balmoral, where Queen Elizabeth II passed away in 2022.
The investigation into Epstein-related activity is part of a wider scrutiny involving at least nine British police forces examining potential offenses connected to Epstein and his associates, including Prince Andrew. In February, Andrew was arrested and questioned over allegations of misconduct in public office linked to his ties with Epstein. The arrest followed reports that Andrew shared confidential information from his tenure as a trade envoy with Epstein. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Separately, police warrants executed to search Royal Lodge and Wood Farm at Sandringham were recently deemed unlawful due to procedural errors, although authorities have sought permission to retain the evidence obtained.