Princess Beatrice attended the funeral of Paddy McNally on Thursday, Aug. 13. The former Formula One executive and Sarah Ferguson’s ex-boyfriend died on July 21 at age 88. Beatrice attended the small family ceremony in her own right and also represented her mother. Ferguson did not attend the funeral.
Princess Beatrice steps in for Sarah Ferguson at Paddy McNally’s funeral as Fergie remains out of sight
PEOPLE reports that McNally and Ferguson remained close friends after ending their romance in 1985. He also welcomed Ferguson, Beatrice and Princess Eugenie to his ski chalets in Verbier, Switzerland, when the girls were young. McNally reportedly loaned one chalet to Ferguson after she and Andrew lost Royal Lodge. The former couple also lost their titles amid the fallout over their ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Ferguson has stayed largely out of the public eye in recent months. Veteran royals reporter Richard Kay said he understood that she spent the summer at one of McNally’s chalets in Verbier. “That makes sense because these places have a completely different vibe during the summer,” Kay said on Palace Confidential. He added that the area offers “a perfect place to hide up.”
Ferguson last appeared in public in April at a mountain retreat in the Austrian Alps. On April 16, The Sun released photos of her outside a dark van carrying a teal tote bag. A source told the outlet, “Fergie has been keeping an incredibly low profile while high up in the Alps.” The source called the quiet area “the perfect place” for her to stay away from attention.
Ferguson appeared in correspondence released as part of the Epstein files, but she has not faced accusations of wrongdoing connected to the late financier. Andrew was arrested on Feb. 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office and has denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
TELL US: WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE LATEST DETAILS ABOUT SARAH FERGUSON?
