The man with whom Sarah Ferguson (formerly Sarah, Duchess of York) was romantically involved prior to her ill-fated marriage to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew, Duke of York) has passed away at the age of 88.
Patrick “Paddy” McNally was a British businessman and racing driver who was the chief executive of Allsport Management. Allsport are a Swiss-based company that controlled Formula 1 advertising and hospitality via the Paddock Club.
According to Hello Magazine, McNally had been suffering from a long-term illness, but specific details about his cause of death aren’t yet publicly available.
Tragically, McNally’s passing comes just two months after the death of his son, Sean, who died suddenly on his Balmoral estate (again, more specifical details about Sean’s passing haven’t been disclosed).
Sean was one of two sons McNally shared his wife Anne Downing, who passed away in 1980. McNally is survived by their other son, Rollo, who is currently married to Elizabeth Daisy Hardman, commonly known as Daisy.
Sarah Ferguson & Paddy McNally Dated in the Early-Mid 1980s
According to Hello Magazine, following the passing of his wife, and prior to her meeting Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Paddy McNally dated Sarah Ferguson from 1982 until 1985. He met her because, as a wealthy tycoon, they socialized in similar circles. In the 1960s, he was also a racing driver.
Even after the couple split, they remained friends. When Ferguson and Andrew went their separate ways, McNally lent her one of his ski chalets in Verbier. She lived there temporarily amid the royal furore back home once she left Royal Lodge.
McNally is even believed to be friendly with Ferguson’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Per The Daily Star, the two girls were photographed with him at the Cartier International Day at Guards Polo Club in 2004.
Hello Magazine say Ferguson has been informed of McNally’s passing, but she has yet to make a statement about it. It’s also not yet known if she will attend his funeral, given her current predicament.
Ferguson Is Currently Keeping a Low Profile
GettySarah Ferguson has been largely out of the public eye since late 2025, choosing primarily to stay abroad.
The main driver of that choice is the fallout from renewed scrutiny over her and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein, which included leaked emails in which Ferguson referred to Epstein as “a supreme friend” (per the BBC). She believes that staying away from British media will protect her children and grandchildren from further scrutiny.
The Daily Star says Paddy McNally has recently supported her by providing her with sanctuary in one of his chalets in the Austrian Alps amid said controversies.
Hello Magazine say she was most recently seen at an Austrian ski resort in April. She is also believed to have spent some time at the Paracelsus Recovery Clinic in Zurich, Switzerland.
Whether or not Ferguson will break her boycott of public life to attend McNally’s funeral remains to be seen.
We’d like to send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Paddy McNally at this upsetting time. May his memory be a blessing and may he rest in eternal peace.
