King Charles was allegedly prevented from contacting explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes after the adventurer’s wife became angry that her telephone number had been shared without her consent.
Sir Ranulph, 82, who has Parkinson’s disease and has not been seen in public for more than two years, is reportedly being moved between several care homes under a false name by his second wife.
Friends of the renowned explorer, including Bear Grylls, have begun an urgent search to establish his whereabouts after claims that appeals from his family were “ignored”.
The King is also understood to have tried to check on Sir Ranulph’s welfare. However, his wife and legal guardian, Louise Millington–Cotes, allegedly told the Palace to “back off” in what has been described as controlling behaviour.
The King’s equerry is believed to have contacted a person who had written to ask how the monarch could reach Sir Ranulph. That individual was reportedly given Ms Millington–Cotes’s telephone number.
One member of the King’s staff said the monarch was “most concerned” after being informed about his friend’s deteriorating health and apparent isolation.
The intermediary reportedly believed Sir Ranulph would be “thrilled” to learn that the King was so concerned about him.
King Charles reportedly tried to check on Sir Ranulph Fiennes’s welfare, but his wife and legal guardian allegedly told the Palace to “back off”
Sir Ranulph Fiennes and his second wife, Louise Millington–Cotes, after returning to Britain following an unsuccessful attempt to climb Everest
Sir Ranulph Fiennes during his first unsupported crossing of Antarctica in 1992
Millington–Cotes was allegedly furious that her contact details had been passed to the Palace and threatened the intermediary with legal action and police involvement, according to The Telegraph.
She is said to have instructed the intermediary to “back off”, claiming that their actions had caused her husband “immense distress”.
Often hailed as the world’s greatest living explorer, Sir Ranulph has completed remarkable feats including running seven marathons in seven days across seven continents. He also climbed Mount Everest at the age of 65, four years after suffering a heart attack.
Since 2024, however, he has reportedly been placed in a series of care homes under a false name. The Care Inspectorate concluded that he had been unlawfully deprived of his liberty.
Sir Ranulph married Ms Millington–Cotes, who is 23 years younger than him, in 2005, just over a year after the death of his first wife.
His stepson, who is estranged from his mother, has claimed that she became increasingly “dominating”.
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Ms Millington–Cotes is also said to have told friends that the King disliked her husband and that Queen Camilla had helicopters fly over their home to irritate them.
Friends were initially permitted to visit Sir Ranulph provided they signed non-disclosure agreements. Since the beginning of this year, however, his whereabouts have reportedly become unknown.
Sir Ranulph with television adventurer Ben Fogle, who has urged police to investigate the “very troubling” circumstances in which his friend is allegedly being kept isolated
Anton Bowring, who joined Sir Ranulph on the Transglobe Expedition between 1979 and 1982, previously wrote to the King’s private secretary. The King was patron of the expedition, and Mr Bowring warned that his friend was “in a very poor state”.
Mr Bowring was then contacted by the King’s then equerry who reported the monarch was ‘most concerned’ and had expressed ‘a desire to help’.
But Mr Bowring allegedly received a text from Ms Millington–Cotes an hour later saying, ‘I’m going to be changing my phone number because of you!!!,’ the Telegraph reports.
Alexander Millington–Cotes, Sir Ranulph’s stepson, last week told of having ‘no luck’ in his efforts to persuade two police forces to investigate the disappearance of the explorer.
It comes as adventurers Bear Grylls and Ben Fogle are among those to have backed calls for action.
Mounting support for the family has seen donations for a crowdfunded legal campaign launched by Mr Millington–Cotes top £15,000.
Friends and a business associate told The Mail on Sunday Sir Ranulph spoke of ‘only ever being allowed 24 hours at a time away from’ Ms Millington–Cotes – before she was reportedly granted lasting power of attorney over him in 2024.
Sir Robin Knox–Johnston, the first person to sail single–handed and non–stop around the world, said: ‘The recent news that he is being shuffled from home to home and not allowed to see his friends is the deprivation of a basic human right.’
Other celebrity friends include Gardeners’ World host Monty Don, who said Sir Ranulph should be ‘enjoying the admiration and respect of the whole country after such a remarkable life and not kept hidden away from family and friends’.
Meanwhile veteran BBC journalist John Simpson said: ‘He’s the world’s bravest man, and he’s vulnerable. We must know what’s happening to him.’
And shadow health and care secretary Damian Hinds has called for ‘any potential failings’ at the care watchdog the Office of the Public Guardian to be ‘looked into’.
Ms Millington-Cotes has not commented publicly since the claims emerged.
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
