LONDON, Oct 30 — Scottish police are in the “very early stage” of probing the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s reported stay at the royal Balmoral estate at the invitation of ex-prince Andrew, UK media reported today.

Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking, is believed to have visited the British monarch’s estate in northeast Scotland in 1999 along with his jailed ex-girlfriend and accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.

The pair are thought to have stayed following an invite from Andrew, who has previously acknowledged his friendships with both but has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

“We have received information and active inquiries are ongoing but these are at a very early stage,” Police Scotland said in a brief statement to some UK media, without elaborating on the probe.