Sir Ranulph Fiennes, recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s greatest living explorer, was unlawfully deprived of his liberty after his second wife placed him in a care home under a false name, according to an investigation by The Telegraph published in September 2026. The 82-year-old retired explorer, who has not been seen in public for two years, was moved through a series of care facilities while friends and relatives were blocked from visiting or learning his whereabouts.
Care Home Placement and False Identity
Louise Millington-Coonts, 59, placed her husband into a care facility in Wales earlier this year, where he spent seven weeks before being transferred to another institution in Cheshire. According to The Telegraph, Mrs. Millington-Coonts hired a private carer for individual supervision and provided all medications herself rather than registering the explorer with a local general practitioner. The facility’s owner told investigators that Mrs. Millington-Coonts insisted her husband be registered under a false name, claiming he was a former Special Air Service operative whose life was at risk from extremists, and that staff at a previous home had attempted to kill him. When taken on walks twice daily by his private carer, Sir Ranulph was required to wear a hat, sunglasses, and gloves to conceal his face and frostbite-damaged fingers.
https://x.com/Telegraph/status/2103216651454079115
Regulatory Findings and Legal Status
The Care Inspectorate for Wales concluded in January 2026 that Sir Ranulph was unlawfully deprived of his liberty because mandatory legal procedures had not been followed. Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards order is required when an individual lacking capacity is under continuous supervision and control and cannot leave freely. The owner of the Welsh care home alerted authorities, emailing the Care Inspectorate and writing to the Office of the Public Guardian in March 2026 over safeguarding concerns, including prescriptions issued in Mrs. Millington-Coonts’ name rather than her husband’s. Despite repeated reminders from the facility owner that an authorization order was legally required, the necessary paperwork was still missing when Sir Ranulph was relocated to Cheshire.
Family Disputes and Public Absence
A long-running dispute surrounds the care of the explorer between Mrs. Millington-Coonts and several of his friends and blood relatives, some of whom have explored challenging her deputyship rights. A former daughter-in-law previously spent a week inside his care home to investigate his situation before he was moved. Sir Ranulph last appeared publicly via a prerecorded video played on October 23, 2024, at the Royal Geographical Society in London, where he stated he was too unwell to travel following a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.
Did you know? Sir Ranulph Fiennes led the 1979–1982 Transglobe Expedition, cementing his status as a pioneering polar explorer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Sir Ranulph Fiennes considered unlawfully deprived of his liberty?
The Care Inspectorate for Wales found that mandatory legal authorization procedures under the Mental Capacity Act were not completed by his legal guardian when he was placed in care.
https://x.com/Telegraph/status/2103198109043962233
Who is Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ legal guardian?
His second wife, Louise Millington-Coonts, holds power of attorney granted in 2024.
When was Sir Ranulph last seen publicly?
He last appeared in a prerecorded video message broadcast in October 2024 at the Royal Geographical Society.
Related reading