Ranulph Fiennes, the renowned British explorer, has become the focus of growing concern after family members and friends said they have been unable to contact or visit him for months. The 82-year-old has not been seen publicly for nearly two years, with relatives raising questions about his whereabouts and welfare.
His former sister-in-law told the BBC that she did not know where he was and that nobody had been able to see him. Allegations have also emerged that Sir Ranulph has stayed at several care homes under assumed names following a family dispute involving his second wife, Louise Millington-Cotes.
Ranulph Fiennes Family Raises Safeguarding Concerns
Louise Millington-Cotes has not immediately responded to the allegations or the BBC’s request for comment. Cheshire Police, however, said they were aware of concerns surrounding the explorer and were satisfied that he was living in an appropriate setting and receiving suitable care.
Police said there were “no immediate safeguarding concerns” regarding his situation. The statement comes as members of his family continue efforts to establish contact with him.
Sir Ranulph was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020 and has largely remained out of the public eye since then. His disappearance from public life has added to concerns among relatives and friends who say they want to know where he is and ensure they can maintain contact with him.
His stepson, Alex Millington-Cotes, has called for changes to the power of attorney arrangement. Speaking to BBC Newsnight, he said he wanted the power of attorney “removed from my own mother” and transferred to people who “have fully his best interests in mind”.
Millington-Cotes said the situation was particularly painful because of Sir Ranulph’s character and his previous relationships with friends and family.
“He’s not an isolated type of person, and so to see him isolated now is very painful,” he said.
British Explorer’s Family Launches Legal Fund
Last week, a crowdfunding campaign was launched to raise money for legal fees connected with efforts to “locate and safeguard” the explorer. The fundraiser was described as the result of the family’s “concern and desperation” after attempts to find him through “multiple avenues”.
Arabella Pepper, the younger sister of Sir Ranulph’s late first wife Ginny, told BBC Newsnight that she had not been able to see her former brother-in-law for more than a year.
Pepper said that family members and friends wanted to visit him, bring him Toblerones and provide support, but they did not know where he was. She described his lack of accessibility as the main source of concern.
She said she eventually managed to see him in July 2025 after admitting herself to a care home where she had been told he was staying.
According to Pepper, she told Sir Ranulph that people were worried about him, looking for him and hoping to see him again. She said his response showed how much the contact appeared to mean to him.
“The relief on his face was very obvious, and he said, send a message to everybody, send them my love, tell them I love them and tell them I’m longing to see them,” Pepper told the BBC.
Ranulph Fiennes’ Exploration Legacy
Sir Ranulph is one of Britain’s best-known explorers. In the early 1980s, he became the first person to reach both the North and South Poles by surface means, cementing his reputation for extreme expeditions.
The Guinness Book of Records has described him as “the world’s greatest living explorer”. His career has included decades of exploration and endurance challenges, making his current absence from public life particularly significant to those who know him.
The concerns surrounding Ranulph Fiennes remain centred on his contact with family and his living arrangements. While Cheshire Police have said they are satisfied that he is receiving appropriate care and that there are no immediate safeguarding concerns, his relatives continue to seek greater access and information about his circumstances.