Sir Ranulph Fiennes: Family Says They Cannot Reach Famed Explorer as Police Voice Safeguarding Confidence

The family and close friends of Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the celebrated British explorer once described as the world's greatest living adventurer, have said they have been unable to contact or visit him for months, deepening a mystery over the 82-year-old's whereabouts and wellbeing.

His former sister-in-law told the BBC she had no idea where Sir Ranulph was being kept and that nobody close to him had been permitted to see him. The remarks came as allegations circulated that the explorer has been moved between a number of care homes under assumed names.

At the centre of the dispute is a reported family rift involving Sir Ranulph's second wife, Louise Millington-Cotes. She did not respond immediately to the allegations or to the BBC's request for comment, leaving key questions about his care arrangements unanswered.

Cheshire Police said they were aware of the concerns raised about the explorer but were satisfied that he is living in an appropriate setting with suitable care. The force added that there were "no immediate safeguarding concerns", a statement that appears intended to reassure the public while stopping short of disclosing any details about his location.

The episode has alarmed friends and relatives who say they have been cut off from a man known for a life of relentless public activity. Sir Ranulph has not been seen in public for nearly two years, a period that began only months after he spoke openly about being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

That diagnosis, disclosed by a figure whose career was built on physical endurance, added a poignant dimension to his withdrawal from view. Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition that can affect movement, speech and cognition, and it often requires increasingly structured care as symptoms advance.

Sir Ranulph's stepson, Alex Millington-Cotes, told the BBC's Newsnight programme that he wanted power of attorney "removed from my own mother" and placed instead with people who have "fully his best interests in mind". His intervention represents a rare public challenge from within the family circle.

Alex Millington-Cotes said the explorer is not by nature an isolated person, making his current situation especially painful for those who know him. Last week he launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise legal fees aimed at locating and safeguarding his stepfather.

In the fundraising appeal, he wrote that the effort had been created as a result of "concern and desperation" after he and others tried "multiple avenues" to find Sir Ranulph. The campaign reflects a growing sense of frustration among relatives who believe conventional routes to reach him have been exhausted.

Arabella Pepper, the younger sister of Sir Ranulph's late first wife, Ginny, told Newsnight she had been unable to see her former brother-in-law for more than a year. She described the distress felt by those who simply want to spend time with him.

"All his friends and family want to see him and take him Toblerones and cheer him up, but we don't know where is, and he's not available, he's not accessible - that's what worries us," she said. The remark captures the ordinary affection behind a dispute that has become a matter of public concern.

Pepper alleges that her only recent contact with Sir Ranulph came in July 2025, when she said she was able to see him only after admitting herself to a care home where she had been told he was staying. The account, which the BBC has not independently verified, suggests that even close relatives have had to resort to unusual measures to make contact.

She recalled telling him that everyone was worried about him and longing to see him. According to her account, the relief on his face was unmistakable, and he asked her to send a message to everyone, saying that he loved them and was longing to see them.

Sir Ranulph's achievements have made him a national figure. In the early 1980s he became the first person to visit both the north and south poles by surface means, a feat of endurance that sealed his reputation. The Guinness Book of Records has described him as "the world's greatest living explorer".

That legacy is now shadowed by questions about his care, his autonomy and the role of those managing his affairs. Power of attorney arrangements, which allow a designated person to make decisions on someone's behalf, are governed by strict legal duties, and any suggestion that they are being exercised against a person's wishes can prompt scrutiny from relatives, regulators or the courts.

For now, the public has only fragments of information: a police force saying it sees no immediate risk, a wife who has not responded to requests for comment, and a family speaking of months of silence. The contrast between Sir Ranulph's lifelong pursuit of the inaccessible and his current inaccessibility to those closest to him has given the story an unsettling resonance.

The BBC's request for comment from Louise Millington-Cotes remains outstanding, and it is unclear whether any legal challenge over the power of attorney will proceed. Until more is known, friends and relatives say their immediate hope is simple: to be allowed to see him again.