Sarah Ferguson Misses Her Ex-Boyfriend's Funeral as She Remains in Hiding—But Princess Beatrice Attends Alone

Sarah Ferguson hasn’t been seen in public since she attended the Duchess of Kent’s funeral in September 2025, and the death of her close friend wasn’t enough to bring her out of hiding. Although she’s been reported to be staying at her her ex-boyfriend and longtime friend Paddy McNally’s Swiss villa, the former royal skipped his funeral on August 14—but Princess Beatrice was there for the service.

Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s eldest daughter, 38, was pictured attending McNally’s funeral in photos shared by Hello! on Friday morning. The princess, who attended without husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, wore a short-sleeved black dress as she stood outside St James's Church in Sevenhampton, England, bowing her head in one of the photos.

Ferguson dated McNally, who died at the age of 88 last month, for three years in the early 1980s. Their relationship ended after McNally refused to propose, and Ferguson became involved with the former Duke of York shortly after.

Former racing driver and businessman McNally was heavily involved in Formula One and amassed a massive fortune, allowing Ferguson and her children to stay at his various European properties over the years and maintaining a close friendship with her family.

According to the Daily Mail's Richard Kay, Ferguson benefited from McNally's hospitality right up until his death. “I understand that Sarah has been spending time at Paddy’s place in Verbier over the summer,” Kay said, sharing that insiders revealed to him that Ferguson has been hiding out in the Swiss ski resort during its off season.

However, Kay rejected reports that Ferguson was a beneficiary of McNally's will. “I am not sure that's actually going to happen,” he said, adding that Paddy “took the view that he had provided for her a great deal throughout her life” already.