Princess Beatrice pays respects at funeral of Fergie’s motorsport tycoon ex-partner Paddy McNally after death aged 88

PRINCESS Beatrice paid her respects to her mum’s ex-boyfriend Paddy McNally at his small countryside funeral yesterday. Disgraced prince Andrew Mountbatten and Fergie’s eldest daughter joined mourners at the low-key ceremony for the F1 tycoon. Princess Beatrice paid her respects to her mum’s ex-boyfriend Paddy McNally yesterday Credit: Marc Giddings The playboy millionaire and F1 tycoon dated Sarah Ferguson in the 1980s Credit: Shutterstock Playboy millionaire McNally dated Sarah Ferguson in the 1980s and she called him “the Toad”. They remained close friends and he supported her financially over the years and let her stay in his “cocaine castle” ski chalet in Verbier. Sign up for the Royals newsletter Thank you! He died aged 88 last month on his country estate in Sevenhampton, Wiltshire. There has been speculation that Fergie may get a slice of his £600million estate. She was nowhere to be seen yesterday. The former Duchess of York, 66, has avoided the public eye since her ex-husband Andrew gave up his peerage titles following the scandal surrounding his friend, paedo financier Jeffrey Epstein. But her daughter Beatrice, 38, was among the mourners and entered the church from a private road on McNally’s adjoining estate. The motor racing mogul’s personal assistant told The Sun: “This is a private family funeral. Most read in Royals The small funeral took place at St James’ Church in Devon Credit: Marc Giddings A wider memorial service will take place in London’s Berkeley Square later this year Credit: Marc Giddings Princess Beatrice with Paddy McNally (right) in 2004 Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Sarah Ferguson With Paddy Mcnally before her marriage to disgraced former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Credit: Collect “It’s just for local yokels today. “He had an amazing life.” She added that a wider memorial service, which Fergie and other celebs may attend, will take place in London’s Berkeley Square later this year. Yesterday’s intimate send off took place at the bucolic St James’ Church, in bright sunshine surrounded by fields with a herd of North Devon cattle watching on. Mourners included staff from his Warneford Place estate which covers 1,000 acres of rolling countryside, woods and lakes. A gaelic blessing was given in a nod to his Irish heritage. Soprano Ann-Marie Cullum sang “In An English Country Garden”. McNally’s son Rollo read from the bible and McNally’s friend Grant Barker gave a tribute. A poem entitled “How The Dog Got Its Name” was also read. After the service he was interred in the small churchyard near to the grave of Bond author Ian Fleming who owned Warneford Place before he died in 1964. One of the congregation said afterwards: “It was a wonderful and lovely service befitting the great man.” Comment now