Police investigate former Prince Andrew's time with Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell at Balmoral
"The needs of victim survivors at the heart of those enquiries," police said.
-- Authorities in Scotland are investigating information about time spent by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein at Balmoral, the royal family's private estate in Scotland.
A Police Scotland spokesperson told ABC News in a statement Friday the investigation is "at a very early stage."
“We have received information and active enquiries are ongoing but these are at a very early stage,” the spokesperson said. “All enquiries are evidence led, with the needs of victim survivors at the heart of those enquiries. We would never confirm details of ongoing enquiries and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Police Scotland did not name Mountbatten-Windsor, Epstein or Maxwell in its statement. The force provided the statement in response to a direct request for comment about their time at Balmoral.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in the U.S. following her 2021 conviction on five felony counts arising from her participation with Epstein in the sexual abuse of young girls over the course of a decade.
Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has previously denied wrongdoing with respect to Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minor girls.
Two years ago, Mountbatten-Windsor -- a brother of King Charles III -- was stripped of his “prince” title and later moved out of his royal residence amid fallout from his interactions with Epstein.
In February, the former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office stemming from his time as a U.K. trade envoy, a role in which he was responsible for promoting British business interests abroad.
The allegations against Mountbatten-Windsor came after his name appeared in the 3 million pages of documents related to Epstein released by the U.S. Department of Justice in January.
Mountbatten-Windsor was released under investigation on the evening of his arrest and was not charged.
Buckingham Palace told ABC News Friday the palace does not speak for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and cannot comment on an ongoing police investigation.
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