Ranulph Fiennes' stepson Alexander Millington-Cotes has launched a crowdfunding appeal to challenge his stepfather’s wife Louise Millington-Cotes over her control of the 82-year-old explorer's living conditions. Fiennes, who disappeared from public view nearly two years ago, was found staying in care facilities under an alias where Lady Fiennes enforced strict isolation rules and allegedly made unauthorized medical decisions. Family members are calling for an investigation into his welfare and seeking to remove power of attorney from Lady Fiennes.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-26,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
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Ranulph Fiennes' stepson has called for the explorer's wife to be stripped of her power over him as the whereabouts of the 82-year-old remain unknown to his family and friends.
asserted
whereabouts → see → family
It was dramatically revealed earlier this week that the retired explorer and author - whose whereabouts first became a mystery when he failed to appear at a gala in his honour in 2024 - has been staying in various care facilities under a false name, on the instructions of his wife Louise Millington-Cotes.
asserted
he → reveal → wife
While living in a care home in rural Wales, Louise Millington-Cotes, Lady Fiennes as she now is, has enforced draconian measures that mean Sir Ranulph must be kept in his room, must not socialise with anyone, must not spend time in communal spaces.
asserted
kept → live → spaces
Most importantly, on the occasions he needed to leave his quarters - when being taken for a walk, for example - he was required to wear a disguise consisting of sunglasses, hat and gloves in case he was recognised.
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he → need → case
And documents, seen by the Daily Mail, showed the worried care homeowner raised concerns about unorthodox medication arrangements put in place by Lady Fiennes and the validity of a 'Do Not Resuscitate' document that she had provided.
asserted
she → see → that
The stunning revelations have led to outrage from Sir Ranulph's family who are demanding an immediate investigation into his living arrangements.
They have also accused the Office of the Public Guardian of ignoring repeated requests to look into the explorer's welfare.
asserted
They → lead → welfare
Now, Sir Ranulph's stepson Alexander Millington-Cotes has launched a crowdfunding appeal to start putting together a legal case against his mother in order to remove the power of attorney.
asserted
stepson → launch → attorney
Ranulph Fiennes was found this week to have been staying in multiple care homes under an alias.
asserted
Fiennes → find → alias
The famous explorer has not been seen publicly in nearly two years
Sir Ranulph with his wife Louise Millington-Cotes.
asserted
explorer → see → wife
Lady Fiennes has enforced draconian measures that mean Sir Ranulph must be kept in his room, must not socialise with anyone, must not spend time in communal spaces
Speaking to The Times, the 31-year-old said his 'personal ambition would be to just see that power taken away from my mother' and transferred to someone that would ensure his stepfather's wishes are respected.
asserted
wishes → enforce → someone
'I want to be able to give him the opportunity to go out for coffee, to see someone who he might want to see with complete freedom, anyone at all,' he added.
uncertain
he → want → freedom
Arabella McIntyre-Brown, the sister of Sir Ranulph's late first wife, Ginny, told The Daily Telegraph that reports about the physical wellbeing of Sir Ranulph, who has Parkinson's, were 'very worrying'.
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who → tell → Parkinson
She said: 'We - Ran's family and close friends - have been very concerned for his safety and mental wellbeing [and the fact he has] been isolated for so long.
'
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he → say → safety
The sooner the OPG moves, the better.
asserted
OPG → move → ?
Sir Ranulph was last seen in public at a gala evening organised in his honour by the Royal Geographical Society in October 2024, when he appeared in a brief, pre-recorded video apologising for not being 'well enough' to attend in person.
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he → see → person
Some of his closest friends have been trying to contact him, mostly without success, ever since and have grown increasingly concerned about him and his whereabouts.
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Some → try → him
The latest revelations will surely only add to their growing fears for his safety.
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revelations → add → safety
Now, Sir Ranulph's stepson Alexander Millington-Cotes has launched a crowdfunding appeal to start putting together a legal case against his mother
The 'disappearance' of Sir Ranulph, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, was the subject of a Daily Mail investigation last Saturday headlined: 'Where on earth is Ranulph Fiennes?'
The truth is that during one year alone he was shunted between five different facilities - four care homes and a hotel - all over the country.
He arrived at the Welsh establishment on January 21 and spent 49 days there.
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He → launch → days
His wife Louise Millington-Cotes - 'Millington' being the alias she gave Sir Ranulph - who at 59, is 23 years younger than he is - has lasting power of attorney over her husband's property and financial affairs as well as his health and welfare, granted to her at around the time of the National Geographic tribute.
asserted
he → give → tribute
In other words, she has substantial control over her husband, which is not unusual considering his rapidly failing health.
asserted
which → have → health
Nonetheless, the Care Inspectorate of Wales concluded that her husband - they were married in 2005 and have a daughter Elizabeth, Sir Ranulph's only child - was being unlawfully 'deprived of his liberty' because Lady Fiennes did not have the authorisation which covered his residence.
asserted
which → conclude → residence
Lady Fiennes also failed to provide any medication list from a doctor or prescriber despite repeated requests, the owner told the Mail, and insisted that Sir Ranulph stayed under his private GP in London which meant he could not be registered locally like their other residents.
uncertain
he → fail → residents
She supplied all of his medication and some of the antibiotics he was given were in her name, not his.
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he → supply → name
The wife also asked a manager to vary some of his doses of medication but staff refused to do so without a written prescription.
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staff → ask → prescription
‘That left the home with no clinical oversight of him at all,’ the owner said.
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owner → leave → him
‘No doctor saw him in the 49 days he was with us.’
asserted
he → see → us
The Aporia
