Sarah Ferguson's Ex-Boyfriend from Just Before Marrying Ex-Prince Andrew Dies at 88
Sarah Ferguson's Ex-Boyfriend from Just Before Marrying Ex-Prince Andrew Dies at 88
Meredith KileThu, July 23, 2026 at 5:56 PM UTC
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Sarah Ferguson and Paddy McNally in the paddock at the British Grand Prix on July 13, 1997Credit: Derek Cox - PA Images/PA Images via Getty -
Paddy McNally, an F1 manager and ex-boyfriend of Sarah Ferguson, died on July 21
He was 88 years old, more than 20 years Ferguson’s senior
McNally dated the former Duchess of York from 1982 to 1985, just before she married the former Prince Andrew
Paddy McNally, a motor racing manager and ex-boyfriend of Sarah Ferguson, died on Tuesday, July 21, at 88 years old.
Hello! reports that McNally had been suffering from a long-term illness. His death comes just months after his eldest son, Sean, died suddenly in Scotland. Details of Sean’s death have not yet been released.
McNally was a Formula One driver and journalist before becoming involved in the management of the sport. In 1983, he formed Allsport Management SA, which provided corporate hospitality and trackside advertising at F1 events. He sold the company in 2006 and remained chief executive until his retirement in 2011.
In 2025, he was named the 248th richest person in the U.K. on the Sunday Times’ Rich List, with a reported net worth of just under $800 million.
Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and Paddy McNally attend the Cartier International Day at Windsor Great Park on July 25, 2004Credit: Dave Benett/Getty
Ferguson, now 66, dated McNally, who was more than 20 years her senior, from 1982 to 1985, just before she married the former Prince Andrew. He was a widower with two sons, Sean and Rollo, from a previous marriage.
Following their split, Ferguson married into the royal family and became the Duchess of York. She and Andrew had two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, before they divorced in 1996.
As with Andrew, Ferguson remained close with McNally following their split, even taking her daughters skiing at his infamous ski chalets in Verbier, Switzerland, when they were young. It was one of those chalets that McNally reportedly loaned Ferguson as a temporary home when she and Andrew lost their royal residence and were stripped of their titles in the fallout surrounding their relationship with the late financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Sarah Ferguson, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice go skiing on holiday in Verbier, Switzerland, in 1997Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
Ferguson was featured in correspondence released as part of the Epstein files; however, the former Duchess of York hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with the late financier.
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Andrew was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, related to a claim that he shared confidential information with Epstein during his time as a trade envoy for the U.K. Andrew has denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
Though they lived together at Royal Lodge for more than 20 years after their split, a source previously told PEOPLE that Ferguson plans to “forge an independent life” as the Epstein fallout continues. Andrew is now living at a house on the King’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
Ferguson has been staying out of the spotlight for much of 2026, and she has not been seen in public, but was caught by a newspaper photographer in the Austrian mountains in April. It’s believed the former duchess is still living outside of the U.K.
“This has really hit her,” a friend told PEOPLE in an exclusive March cover story. “She always thinks she can bounce back. But this isn’t something that can blow over.”
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Ferguson and her family do have something positive to look forward to this summer: Princess Eugenie, 36, is expecting her third child. She and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, already share two sons, August, 5, and Ernst, 2.
“Sarah is keeping a low profile. She’s staying in contact with her daughters and is awaiting the news of Eugenie’s baby,” a friend tells PEOPLE exclusively.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
