Princess Beatrice was among mourners at the quiet funeral of Formula One tycoon Paddy McNally, held yesterday at St James’ Church in the Wiltshire village of Sevenhampton.
The 38-year-old, eldest daughter of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, accessed the church via a private road from McNally’s neighbouring estate.
Her mother, the former Duchess of York, was absent from the ceremony despite her decades-long connection to McNally.
Ferguson, 66, has largely withdrawn from public life since Andrew relinquished his royal titles amid the fallout from his association with Jeffrey Epstein.
McNally’s personal assistant described the occasion as “a private family funeral”.
Princess Beatrice was among mourners at the quiet funeral of Formula One tycoon Paddy McNally, held yesterday at St James’ Church in the Wiltshire village of Sevenhampton. (Stock picture)
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McNally, a self-made millionaire known for his playboy lifestyle, had a romantic relationship with Ferguson during the 1980s.
Though their romance ended, the pair maintained a close friendship, with McNally providing financial support over the years and allowing her use of his Verbier ski chalet, known as the “cocaine castle.”
The motor racing mogul passed away last month at the age of 88 on his country estate in Sevenhampton.
His Warneford Place property spans some 1,000 acres of countryside, woodland and lakes.
Sarah Ferguson, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie on a skiing holiday in Verbier, Switzerland leaving a chalet owned by Paddy McNally in 1997.
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The service featured a Gaelic blessing in recognition of McNally’s Irish roots, while soprano Ann-Marie Cullum performed “In An English Country Garden” for the gathered mourners.
His son Rollo delivered a biblical reading, and close friend Grant Barker paid tribute to the late businessman. A poem titled “How The Dog Got Its Name” also featured in the order of service.
The ceremony took place in bright sunshine, with fields and a herd of North Devon cattle providing a pastoral backdrop to the bucolic church setting.
McNally was subsequently laid to rest in the churchyard, close to the grave of James Bond creator Ian Fleming, who had owned Warneford Place until his death in 1964.
McNally’s assistant confirmed that a larger memorial service is being organised for Berkeley Square in London later this year, an event that Ferguson and other well-known figures are expected to attend.
Estate staff from Warneford Place were among those present at yesterday’s intimate gathering to bid farewell to their employer.
“He had an amazing life,” his personal assistant remarked.
One member of the congregation offered their own assessment of the occasion afterwards, saying: “It was a wonderful and lovely service befitting the great man.”