Sarah Ferguson's 'Most Incredible' Comeback? Ex Paddy McNally's Death Puts Royal Figure Back in Spotlight

Is Sarah Ferguson gearing for a British comeback? A royal expert believes so, especially as ex-partner Paddy McNally has put the infamous ex-duchess back in the spotlight. Ferguson has been in and out of the spotlight, in both positive and negative ways, since she married into royalty in 1986.

'She will definitely want, at some stage, to try and tell her side of the story,' royal author Phil Dampier told a British tabloid. He believes it would be her 'most incredible' comeback yet. Other experts also think it will be soon.

Rekindle Kinship With the King

Ferguson has not made a statement regarding her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest in February 2026 over alleged misconduct while in public office. The arrest was related to his ties with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, although no charges were officially filed. While Ferguson has publicly condemned Epstein, leaked emails raised questions about her past dealings with him.

Her strained relationship with King Charles III predates the Epstein scandal. Ferguson and Mountbatten-Windsor married in 1986 and separated in 1992, following her widely reported scandal with American millionaire John Bryan while on vacation in St. Tropez. Photographs published at the time led to her abrupt departure from Balmoral Castle, where she had been staying with the royal family.

Since then, she has been barely invited to official royal gatherings. Ferguson was not invited to the 1999 wedding of Prince Edward to Sophie Rhys-Jones and the 2011 royal wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton. She was, however, invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018, but not to the evening reception at Frogmore House, which was hosted by then-Prince Charles.

Reports suggest Ferguson wants to rebuild ties with the King for the sake of her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Dampier surmised that Ferguson will 'salvage her reputation and portray herself as a victim of Epstein's lies and circumstances. She will want to try and get back in with the King for the sake of her daughters,' Dampier also said: 'You can never write her off.'

Death of Paddy McNally

Ferguson was recently back in the headlines following the death of Paddy McNally, the British businessman and racing driver. McNally, who died on 22 July 2026 from prolonged illness at the age of 88, and Ferguson dated in the 1980s. Ferguson reportedly regarded McNally as a father figure and he is said to have introduced her to Mountbatten-Windsor.

Despite their breakup, Ferguson and McNally reportedly remained friends over the years. During periods of financial difficulty, culminating in the Epstein ties, McNally allegedly offered her shelter. There are conflicting reports that the late racing driver left her a portion of his £600 million to £800 million ($800 million to over $1.1 billion) fortune.

Royal biographer Andrew Lownie initially believed Ferguson could inherit part of the wealth because of their unyielding relationship. 'He was very, very good to her,' Lownie said after McNally's death.

However, Lownie later revised his view: 'I think he was a wily old bird. He was very keen for his money to go to good causes, so it wouldn't be tarnished by his link to her. So I don't think she's going to get anything from McNally.'