The stepson of Sir Ranulph Fiennes has initiated legal action aimed at removing the lasting power of attorney from the explorer’s wife amid growing concerns about his care and welfare. Alexander Millington-Cotes, 31, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund a legal challenge seeking to transfer decision-making authority from Louise Millington-Cotes, Fiennes’s wife, to someone who would uphold the explorer’s wishes.
Fiennes, aged 82 and living with Parkinson’s disease, has largely remained out of public view for nearly two years. Earlier this year, Louise Millington-Cotes arranged for him to reside under a pseudonym at a care facility in Wales. An investigation by Care Inspectorate Wales later found that these arrangements amounted to an unauthorized deprivation of liberty, as Fiennes was not free to leave and unable to consent to his care. His whereabouts currently remain unknown to some family members and close friends.
The decision to place Fiennes in a care home under the name "Robert Millington" was reportedly made to conceal his identity, with the home initially informed that their resident was a former SAS soldier. It was only after senior staff traveled to meet Louise Millington-Cotes that they were told of Fiennes’s true identity. The care home operator described Fiennes as physically frail and occasionally confused, but noted moments when his determination and spirit were evident.
The operator recounted an incident during a walk around the facility's grounds, where Fiennes, fatigued, asked whether he should continue. When the operator responded that the choice was his, Fiennes said: “If you tell me I’ve got to do it, I’ll do it.” Following the stay, Care Inspectorate Wales instructed the home to submit urgent applications under deprivation of liberty safeguards.
The care home operator states that he provided a report highlighting broader concerns about Fiennes’s care to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). However, the Ministry of Justice has said that the OPG has no record of receiving this report and that the case has not been formally reported to the office.
Alexander Millington-Cotes says he has also raised worries with safeguarding officials in Cheshire East and Hammersmith and Fulham. Calls have been made by family and friends for the OPG to carry out an urgent investigation into Louise Millington-Cotes’s handling of Fiennes’s care and her use of the lasting power of attorney. John Simpson, BBC world affairs editor and a longtime friend of Fiennes, described the situation as concerning and emphasized the need for transparency regarding the explorer’s treatment.
An OPG spokesperson declined to comment on individual cases. Louise Millington-Cotes has not responded to requests for comment. The situation highlights ongoing family tensions and questions about the management of care arrangements for one of Britain’s most renowned explorers.