Police Scotland has launched an investigation into the activities of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell during their time at Balmoral Castle, the royal estate in the Scottish Highlands.

The inquiry, confirmed on Friday, follows reports that women were trafficked to the Aberdeenshire residence. Police Scotland said it had received "information" and that active inquiries were under way, but stressed these were at "a very early stage."

"All inquiries are evidence-led, with the needs of victim survivors at the heart of those inquiries," the force said in a statement. "We would never confirm details of ongoing inquiries and it would be inappropriate to comment further."

Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in a US prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell, 60, was jailed for 20 years in 2022 for her role in procuring girls for Epstein. Both are understood to have visited Balmoral with Mountbatten-Windsor.

Flight logs show Mountbatten-Windsor and Maxwell flew from Luton to Edinburgh on Epstein's private jet, along with two other passengers, on 1 September 2006.

Images released by the US Department of Justice appeared to show Epstein and Maxwell at Balmoral during a shooting trip in 1999. The photographs were among millions of pages of documents published as part of a congressional probe into Epstein's links to politicians, business leaders and other influential figures. The presence of anyone's name or image in the files is not proof of wrongdoing.

Among the released documents, known as the Epstein Files, was an email sent to Maxwell on 16 August 2001 from someone identified only as "A." The message begins: "I am up here at Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family." It later asks: "How's LA? Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?" before signing off "see ya A xxx."

In February, Police Scotland said it wanted to speak to anyone with information about Epstein's private jet using Edinburgh Airport, though officers said at the time they had received no formal complaints relating to the trip.

Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III, was arrested in February by Thames Valley Police on suspicion of misconduct in public office, based on information uncovered in the Epstein Files. He was held for several hours before being released on bail pending further investigation. It was reported to be the first time in nearly four centuries that a senior British royal had been arrested.

He has since taken legal action against Thames Valley Police over search warrants issued before his arrest.

Several other UK forces, including the Metropolitan Police Service, Thames Valley Police and Surrey Police, are also examining information released in the Epstein Files.

Mountbatten-Windsor's association with Epstein has overshadowed the British royal family for nearly two decades. In 2011, the late Virginia Giuffre alleged she had been trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor when she was 17. He gave a lengthy television interview in 2019 in an attempt to address the allegations, but the appearance was widely criticised.

King Charles stripped his brother of his princely title late last year. Mountbatten-Windsor was also required to leave Royal Lodge, his longtime home near Windsor Castle, and now lives at Sandringham, the king's privately owned estate in eastern England.

Scottish First Minister John Swinney said he understood "the seriousness of the points that have been made and the concern that has been expressed," adding that it was "an operational matter for Police Scotland to fully and comprehensively investigate."

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he did not wish to comment on the police inquiries, which "should properly be independent."

Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing linked to his association with Epstein.