Sarah Ferguson's Luxurious Summer Hideaway Was Likely Funded by Her Late Ex-Boyfriend, Says Royal Expert

Sarah Ferguson smiling outside in a green and pink dress.

Sarah Ferguson's whereabouts have been a mystery since last October, when the former Duchess of York was stripped of her title alongside ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. But in a new episode of the Daily Mail's "Palace Confidential" show, senior editor-at-large Richard Kay revealed where Ferguson has been staying over the summer.

The former duchess's ex-boyfriend Paddy McNally, 88, died on July 22, and the two dated for three years before she became involved with Andrew. According to Kay, the Formula One mogul frequently allowed Sarah and her daughters to stay at his various European properties, and he heard that's exactly what Ferguson has been doing lately.

“I understand that Sarah has been spending time at Paddy’s place in Verbier over the summer,” Kay said. The Swiss ski resort is packed with visitors during the winter months, but Kay noted that summer provides “a completely different vibe” that’s perfect for solitude.

Sarah Ferguson and Paddy McNally are pictured at the Monaco Grand Prix in 2006. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Ferguson and McNally, at the 1997 British Grand Prix, remained friends throughout his life. (Image credit: Getty Images)

“You get a few middle-aged people who like walking in the hills, but it’s much more laid-back and low-key,” he said. “A perfect place to hide up.”

Although McNally died with an estimated £600 million fortune, Kay says that suggestions of the businessman “leaving a slice” to Ferguson are likely off the mark.

”I am not sure that's actually going to happen,” he said, explaining that he's heard that Paddy “took the view that he had provided for her a great deal throughout her life” already.

Sarah Ferguson is pictured at Royal Ascot 2025. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Where Ferguson will head next is unclear. She was photographed ducking down in a car while attending granddaughter Athena's christening in December, and a snap of her at an Austrian ski resort was published by the Sun in April. Other than those instances, the ex-duchess hasn't been seen in public since the Duchess of Kent's funeral in September 2025.

A source told The Sun, “Fergie has been keeping an incredibly low profile while high up in the Alps. The area is absolutely beautiful and it’s very quiet most of the time, so it’s the perfect place for a high-profile figure such as her to lie low when the heat is on.”