Sarah Ferguson's car gift

Jul 14, 2008, 11:25 GMT

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has been given a £130,000 car by her rumoured millionaire boyfriend.

Sarah - the ex-wife of Britain's Prince Andrew - reportedly received a brand new Bentley Continental Flying Spur vehicle from Norwegian tycoon Geir Frantzen.

Sarah, who previously described Geir as a "close friend", has further fuelled romance rumours after she was seen without her ruby and diamond engagement ring, which she had continued to wear despite her divorce from Andrew being finalised in 1996.

The 48-year-old duchess and Geir - owner of frozen food company Findus - have been seen alone together several times in recent weeks.

They have enjoyed shopping trips to London's exclusive Bond Street, a day out at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone racing track and various dinner dates to London restaurants China Tang and Cipriani.

Sarah has also reportedly told close friends she wants to spend "more time in Norway".

Norwegian reporter Kjell Arne Totland claims the duchess recently told her the relationship is spiritual, not romantic.

She said: "Sarah told me they were very good friends, but not lovers - what they had was perhaps even better than a romantic relationship. She told me they are very close to each other at a spiritual level."

Geir's spokesman Simon Rees has also denied his client is dating Sarah, telling Britain's Daily Mail newspaper: "They have a number of business ventures together, that is all. There never has been a private scenario with him."

Sarah and Geir, 40, first sparked romance rumours after being spotted at a Spice Girls concert and a boxing match in Las Vegas last December. They also believed to have spent Christmas together.