Sarah Ferguson Had A Scandalous Age-Gap Romance Before Marrying Ex-Prince Andrew

There are no shortage of rumors about Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, especially since ex-Prince Andrew's arrest, which Sarah apparently didn't handle well. As the extent of her connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continued to be exposed to the public, it appeared that the skeletons in Fergie's closet were marching out in tandem, systematically demolishing her once beloved public image. Amid the scandals, gossip about one of Sarah's former relationships started making the rounds. Before she married Andrew, the future royal was in a relationship with motorsports journalist Paddy McNally, who was a whopping 27 years older than her. 

The two reportedly patted ways in 1985, but in 1986, the year Fergie married Andrew, she was still spending time at McNally's chalet at a Switzerland skiing resort, which was also rumored to be a cocaine den and even dubbed the "Snow Castle" by newspapers, as a result. Word has it that Sarah remained friends with McNally after she married Andrew, and before her ex-husband's arrest in February 2026, the disgraced duchess fled to Switzerland and stayed in Verbier in a chalet owned by none other than McNally. 

An insider told The Sun that the resort is as good a place as any to escape public scrutiny. "Verbier may be popular but if you don't want to be seen and know how to get your head down it's easy to keep a low profile," they noted. This wasn't the first time Sarah returned either. She took her daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, to the resort in 1997.

Royal experts reckon Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson could bring down the monarchy, thanks to their association with Jeffrey Epstein. As the U.S. Department of Justice's Epstein file dump continued in early 2026, emails between him and Sarah came to light. It's apparent from their correspondence that the former duchess was close with the disgraced financier, to the extent that she seemingly relied on him for emotional support. In some emails, Fergie called him her "pillar," and often spoke openly about going through a tough time, per the BBC. Royal biographer Andrew Lownie even alleged to The Mirror, "Sarah was madly in love with Epstein and apparently spent several nights with him." 

Indeed, their emails became increasingly intense over time, with Sarah going from telling Epstein he was "the brother I have always wished for" to, just a year later, penning, "You are a legend. I really don't have the words to describe, my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness. Xx I am at your service. Just marry me," per the BBC. Not even his conviction for soliciting a child for sex could put her off. The duchess, while publicly condemning the disgraced businessman, continued to correspond with him in private, according to the documents released by the DOJ. She even took her daughters along to a party to celebrate Epstein's release from jail. 

As such, the rumors about Sarah's age-gap relationship with Paddy McNally are small potatoes compared to the one she had with Epstein, and it's safe to say that this is one scandal she won't ever live down.