Sarah Ferguson has been dealt a huge blow, according to one royal expert, who says she will not receive anything in the will of her ex-boyfriend, Paddy McNally. The latter, who Ferguson dated before marrying into the Royal Family, passed away at the age of 88 in July 2026.
After her eviction from Royal Lodge earlier this year, it was reported that Ferguson was staying with McNally in his home in the Swiss town of Verbier. Following his death, it was reported that the F1 legend could leave some of his £600million fortune to his ex-girlfriend, with whom he remained friends even after their romantic relationship ended.
Expert dispels inheritance hopes
It was believed that the money left to Ferguson would be somewhat of a life raft for the former royal following her eviction from Royal Lodge, where she lived with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor even after their divorce. However, one royal expert has said that Ferguson is not expected to receive anything from McNally's fortune.
Historian and author Andrew Lownie wrote of the bombshell revelation in his latest Substack entry. "There has been much speculation in the media in recent weeks that Sarah Ferguson had been taken in by her old boyfriend and benefactor, Paddy McNally, in Verbier and that now, with his death, she stood to benefit from his will," he said.
"If true, it would solve her financial problems and cause the Royal Family to breathe a sigh of relief that she would not now be so tempted to give a tell-all interview or write a book. My sources tell me that she actually only spent a week with McNally in Verbier and that she is not a beneficiary of his will. In fact, she has been supported since her disappearance from public view last year by contacts in the Middle East and some friends in Argentina."
Representative responds
When contacted for comment, a representative for Sarah Ferguson told the Daily Express that they were "unaware of Paddy McNally's will situation either way".
There is some hope for Ferguson, with reports suggesting that she is being bankrolled by her Middle Eastern and Argentinian associates. Additionally, the 66-year-old had previously inherited a vast ranch in Argentina following the passing of her mother, Susan, who died in a car accident in 1998.
