Paddy McNally, who dated Sarah Ferguson before she married Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and made his fortune in Formula One, has died aged 88
Sarah Ferguson with motorsport tycoon, Paddy McNally(Image: Sutton Motorsports/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)
Motorsport tycoon Paddy McNally – a former ex-boyfriend of Sarah Ferguson – has died, just weeks after his son.
The former racing driver, who went on to make his fortune running corporate hospitality at Formula One events, died earlier this week aged 88.
The former Duchess of York dated him for several years in the early 80s before marrying ex–husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – and the pair remained good friends even after they split, with Fergie once calling him the millionaire her ‘father figure’. Mr McNally’s death comes just weeks after his son Sean died suddenly in April in the Scottish Highlands.
It is reported that in his final weeks, the tycoon gave refuge to Fergie in his Swiss ski chalet after she fled the UK following the release of the Epstein files, which revealed the former Duchess had called the paedophile financier a ‘supreme friend’.
And a source told The Sun: “Paddy always looked after Sarah and at times over the past four decades she needed a lot of looking after. He never abandoned her in life and even in his final days allowed her safe sanctuary at his home in Verbier.”
Mr McNally, who was born in Kent in 1937 but grew up in Ireland, first became a motoring journalist and competed in several racing competitions before working for tobacco brand Marlboro, which was closely linked to Formula One.
He then established the lucrative Allsport company, specialising in corporate hospitality at Formula One events. From this he amassed a huge fortune with a property portfolio, which included homes around the world, including Sevenhampton Place in Wiltshire, which previously belonged to James Bond creator Ian Fleming.
He married wife, Ann, in 1967 but she died in 1980. In 1982, he began a relationship with Fergie, who was 22 years his junior.
They dated for three years until their split in 1985, and shortly after she struck up a romance with the then Prince Andrew – although she and Mr McNally remained close friends up until his death.
In the Andrew Lownie book Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, the author described the ex-Duchess of York once remarking: “He taught me so much about life. Whenever I wanted advice, I turned to him because he was so worldly-wise. He seemed to have seen and done everything.”
Mr McNally eventually sold his Allsport company in 2006 for $350million and was ranked 240th on the Sunday Times Rich List last year. Paying tribute to him the FIA – governing body for motorsport – said: “The FIA is deeply saddened by the passing of Patrick Sean McNally. He worked closely with Bernie Ecclestone and played a significant role in the commercial growth of Formula 1. We thank him for his valuable contribution to the sport.”
Meanwhile, Fergie has barely been seen in public since the release of the Epstein files and was last spotted at a £2,000-a-night chalet in the Alps.
The King’s former sister-in-law was tracked down to an Austrian bolt-hole after facing calls to speak to the US authorities about convicted sex offender financier Epstein after the release of millions of documents associated with him shed new light on their relationship.
Epstein has been the downfall of her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his titles by the King because of “serious lapses of judgment” over his friendship with the late paedophile.
Fergie also lost her courtesy royal divorcee title and reverted to her maiden name, and recently lost the freedom of the city of York, after councillors voted unanimously to remove the honour over her links to Epstein.
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