Stepson Says He Climbed Farm Gate To See Sir Ranulph Fiennes — Now Leading Campaign To Find And Safeguard Him

Sir Ranulph Fiennes, long celebrated as one of the world’s greatest living explorers, loved a sweet treat—especially mince pies. His stepson, Alexander Millington-Cotes, remembers bringing boxes at Christmas despite Sir Ranulph being "not allowed" them. That private memory has become public amid a dispute over the explorer’s recent care and whereabouts.

Missing From Family And Moved Under False Names

The Telegraph recently reported that the 82-year-old, who has Parkinson’s disease, has been moved between care homes under assumed names and kept separated from close friends and family. A care watchdog concluded earlier this year that Sir Ranulph had been "unlawfully deprived of his liberty" because correct procedures had not been followed.

Mr Millington-Cotes has been trying to establish what the police are doing regarding the treatment of Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Lasting Power Of Attorney And A Family Rift

The moves were allegedly made at the direction of Sir Ranulph’s second wife, Louise Millington-Cotes, 59, who holds his lasting power of attorney. Her son from a previous relationship, Alexander, 31, has launched a crowdfunding appeal and a legal challenge to contest that power of attorney and to "locate and safeguard" his stepfather.

Calls For Investigation

Alexander and several of Sir Ranulph’s friends quietly asked The Telegraph to investigate his welfare more than six months ago. Prominent figures including Bear Grylls, Ben Fogle and Dame Joanna Lumley have urged a police inquiry and called on the Office of the Public Guardian to intervene. A care-home manager who raised concerns formally contacted the Office of the Public Guardian.

Mr Millington-Cotes's grief at losing his stepfather has become a public outcry over the treatment of a national hero - Belinda Jiao for The Telegraph

Personal History And Estrangement

Sir Ranulph entered Alexander’s life when Alexander was 11, after marrying his mother a little more than a year after the death of his first wife, Lady Virginia "Ginny" Fiennes. Alexander grew up on his mother’s horse farm in Shropshire and describes a sometimes turbulent family life. A row in 2018 led to their estrangement: Alexander says his mother blocked his phone, encouraged staff to avoid him and later denied him access to the family home and to his half-sister, Elizabeth.

The Last Visit

"I'd only gone a 100 metres or so and, for the first time ever, there was Ran. He immediately grabbed me by the arm and swung me around and walked back down the drive," Alexander recalls of the late September 2024 visit. He says he climbed a locked, high-security farm gate because he had no key.

Alexander says Sir Ranulph hugged him, told him he was proud of him and said: "Every family has its problems." As they neared the house, Alexander saw his mother waiting; he watched his stepfather being led inside and has not seen him since.

Sir Ranulph and Mr Millington-Cotes in Pisa – the adventurer has been part of Mr Millington-Cotes's life since he was 11 - Alexander Millington-Cotes

What Alexander Wants

Alexander says there have been multiple police reports but little communication about any investigation. He is campaigning for transparency about Sir Ranulph’s care arrangements and for the right of the explorer to make his own choices where possible. He has described the emotional toll of the estrangement and the public responsibility felt by friends and admirers to secure proper treatment for a national figure.

Current status: Alexander has launched a crowdfund to support legal action challenging Louise Millington-Cotes’s lasting power of attorney and to press for an independent inquiry into Sir Ranulph’s welfare. The case has drawn national attention and calls for oversight from official bodies.