Princess Beatrice Steps In for Mother Sarah Ferguson at Paddy McNally's Funeral
Princess Beatrice attended the funeral of Patrick "Paddy" McNally on 14 August at St James's Church in Sevenhampton, Wiltshire, standing in for her mother, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York (Hello!).
Beatrice, 38, arrived dressed in black and without her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. The memorial service began at 10.30 am at the church near Sevenhampton Place, the Wiltshire estate McNally owned (Hello!; The Telegraph).
McNally, a Kent-born motorsport magnate and former racing driver, died in July at the age of 88 after a prolonged illness (GB News). He made his fortune on the business side of Formula One, working alongside Bernie Ecclestone, and owned property including numerous chalets in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier (Hello!). The Telegraph's obituary, published on 24 July, described him as a "playboy who made a fortune in Formula One" (The Telegraph).
The connection between McNally and the Duchess of York runs deep. The two first met when Ferguson, then in her twenties, worked as a nanny for McNally's two sons, Sean and Rollo, following the death of his wife, Anne Downing (Hello!). McNally was 22 years her senior and was once described as her "father figure." The relationship ended after Ferguson issued an ultimatum at the 1985 Italian Grand Prix; when McNally did not propose, they parted ways. She went on to marry Prince Andrew the following year.
Ferguson has spoken warmly of McNally. "He taught me so much about life," she said, according to The Telegraph's obituary (The Telegraph).
Ferguson reportedly received news of McNally's death while out of the media spotlight, having spent time at his Verbier chalets in recent months (Hello!; Hello!). She and Prince Andrew, who divorced in 1996, have continued to share a home; a Telegraph report in October 2025 noted that she remained his housemate (The Telegraph).
Speculation about the disposition of McNally's estate, estimated at around £600 million, has circulated since his death. Reports have suggested Ferguson could be in line to inherit part of that fortune (Hello!). Royal biographer Andrew Lownie has offered a counter view, telling Hello! he believes the fortune will go to "good causes" so that it is not "tarnished by his link to" Ferguson.
Neither Ferguson nor any representative of McNally's estate has publicly confirmed the contents of his will. Beatrice's presence at the funeral on Friday was the one visible mark the family made at a service for a man whose life in motorsport, property and high society intersected with theirs for over four decades.
