Paddy McNally dies at 88: will Fergie share his fortune?
Formula One businessman Paddy McNally has died aged 88 after a long-term illness, prompting fresh questions about whether former partner Sarah Ferguson could benefit from his reported £600 million fortune. He reportedly never abandoned the cash-strapped royal, but no confirmed inheritance details have been made public.
Key Takeaways
- Paddy McNally has died at 88 following a longstanding illness, HELLO! reports.
- He dated Sarah Ferguson from 1982 to 1985 and remained a close friend afterward.
- Reports put his wealth near £600 million and ask whether Ferguson could receive a share.
- He reportedly lent her a Verbier ski chalet after she left Royal Lodge.
- His will has not been disclosed, so any inheritance claim remains unconfirmed.
The death of Paddy McNally lands amid renewed scrutiny of Ferguson’s finances—territory often covered in our net worth and wealth reporting.
Who was Paddy McNally and how did he make his money?
McNally was a motorsport figure who began as a racing driver before moving into Formula One’s commercial side, working with Bernie Ecclestone. Over decades he built a property portfolio that included chalets in Verbier, Switzerland.
British tabloid coverage has linked him to an estimated £600 million fortune. That figure is the core of speculation about whether any assets could ease Ferguson’s money pressures—not a public probate disclosure.
Did Paddy McNally leave Sarah Ferguson any of his fortune?
No verified will details have been released. The Sun has framed the question bluntly: after he “never abandoned” the cash-strapped royal in life, will she get a slice of his reported £600 million estate?
Until executors or probate records speak, headlines suggesting Ferguson stands to inherit remain speculation tied to their decades-long friendship—not documented estate papers.
Why does McNally’s death matter for Ferguson’s finances?
HELLO! says Ferguson received the news while keeping a low profile overseas. After leaving Royal Lodge amid the Mountbatten-Windsor scandal fallout, she was reportedly allowed to use one of McNally’s Verbier chalets.
Sun reporting said he “never abandoned” her and offered sanctuary in Verbier near the end of his life. That support history—not a published will—is why some ask if his death could ease her money problems.
McNally’s personal life also darkened this year: his son Sean died suddenly about two months earlier. He is also survived by son Rollo. His wife Anne Downing died in 1980; he later dated Ferguson for three years before her marriage to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
For now, the credible bottom line is narrow: Paddy McNally is gone at 88, he remained a financial and personal backstop for Ferguson in life, and whether any of his fortune follows her is still unknown.