Sir Ranulph Fiennes Care Row: Watchdog Finds 'Unlawful' Detention as Police See No Immediate Risk

Reports have shed light on Sir Ranulph Fiennes' whereabouts, but the dispute over his care has deepened. The 82-year-old explorer has not been seen in public since late 2024, and questions about his location were raised in mid-September.

Reports later said that his second wife, Louise Millington-Cotes, had moved Fiennes between a succession of care homes under assumed names. A Welsh care home reportedly raised concerns about his medication arrangements and a 'do not resuscitate' document.

Who Is Sir Ranulph Fiennes?

The Guinness Book of Records' founding editor, Norris McWhirter, reportedly described Fiennes as 'The World's Greatest Living Explorer'. According to wildlife conservation charity Nature's Safe, he was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles by surface travel. He also crossed Antarctica on foot.

He then summited Mount Everest at the age of 65. 'Over his decades of exploring the world, he has led over 22 expeditions, crossing vast landscapes and facing some of the harshest conditions on earth. Through these expeditions, he has witnessed the changes to our habitat and biodiversity first-hand,' the description on Nature's Safe also said.

Fiennes was born on 7 March 1944 in Windsor, Berkshire. His father died four months before he was born. He became the third Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes baronet, inheriting the title from his father.

He joined the army after his Eton education. In the 1960s, he started doing expeditions, which became his main career. He explored for more than 60 years. Fiennes took part in a 2024 Canadian expedition on the South Nahanni River.

King Charles Tried To Contact Him

According to The Telegraph, King Charles tried to contact Fiennes but was blocked from doing so. Charles and Fiennes had a decades-long friendship that started when the then-Prince of Wales became the official patron of Fiennes' Transglobe Expedition.

Friends and family have also reacted with alarm. BBC correspondent John Simpson, a friend, said Fiennes is 'vulnerable' and wanted to know what was going on with him and his care. Professional peers Ben Fogle, Bear Grylls and Joanna Lumley have also voiced concern.

Monty Don, who has known Fiennes for more than four decades, has joined calls for an urgent investigation. Fiennes' stepson, Alexander Millington-Cotes, has been at the centre of the family's efforts.

The 31-year-old is seeking to raise £55,000 ($72,769) in legal fees to 'locate and safeguard' his stepfather. He said that none of the police forces he had approached had agreed to take up the case.

Police: No Immediate Concern

The Welsh care home reportedly raised concerns about Fiennes' medication arrangements and a 'do not resuscitate' document. Separately, the Care Inspectorate of Wales reviewed the case and found that no authorisation was in place covering the deprivation of his liberty at the care setting.

The Care Inspectorate of Wales, the statutory watchdog for care services, said Fiennes was under continuous supervision and control, was not free to leave and could not consent to his care, treatment and accommodation.

On Monday, Detective Chief Superintendent Claire Jesson of Cheshire Police said authorities and partner agencies were satisfied that Fiennes was 'living in an appropriate setting with suitable care and professional oversight.' Millington-Cotes has not commented publicly about the situation.