King Charles III was reportedly blocked from contacting his longtime friend, 82-year-old legendary explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, after serious concerns were raised regarding Fiennes’s wellbeing and care arrangements.
The monarch became most concerned about the famous adventurer-who has not made a public appearance in two years-following a direct appeal to Buckingham Palace from fellow adventurer Anton Bowring in February 2025.
Royal Intervention and Palace Inquiry
Anton Bowring, who famously took part in the Transglobe Expedition with Sir Ranulph between 1979 and 1982, wrote to the King’s principal private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton. In his letter, Bowring stated that Fiennes was in a very poor state and had been under the exclusive care of his second wife, Louise Millington-Cotes, since September 2024.
Responding to the alert, the King’s equerry, Commander William Thornton, contacted Bowring to express the monarch’s personal worry. Thornton stated that King Charles wished to write to Sir Ranulph, his wife, and their daughter Elizabeth to offer support and see if assistance could be provided. Bowring subsequently supplied Louise Millington-Cotes’s phone number, believing the explorer would be thrilled to know his royal friend was thinking of him.
Wife’s Aggressive Pushback and Threats
However, attempts to establish communication hit an immediate wall. Upon receiving outreach, Ms. Millington-Cotes reacted with fury at the Palace obtaining her contact information.
In text messages sent to Bowring, she threatened legal and police action, writing: “I’m contacting a solicitor and the police if you continue this! That was utterly inappropriate! You haven’t listened to anything I’ve explained to you about Ran’s feelings about his condition. You are causing him immense distress! Nobody else is??? Back off!!!”
Reports indicate that Ms. Millington-Cotes ultimately declined to put the King in touch with her husband. She allegedly told acquaintances that the King harbored a dislike for her husband and claimed that Queen Camilla deliberately flew helicopters over their property to cause annoyance.
Growing Public and Familial Concern
The blocked royal contact comes amid a broader outcry from prominent friends, family members, and colleagues regarding Sir Ranulph Fiennes’s current living situation and isolation. Fiennes, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019 and granted lasting power of attorney to his wife in November 2024, has reportedly been moved through multiple care homes under assumed names.
High-profile figures, including veteran BBC correspondent John Simpson, survivalist Bear Grylls, and adventurer Ben Fogle, have publicly voiced deep alarm over the explorer’s welfare. Simpson wrote on social media that Fiennes is a vulnerable national treasure who needs protection, while Grylls called for an urgent investigation by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and local authorities.
Additionally, Sir Ranulph’s stepson, Alexander Millington-Cotes, has spoken out against his mother’s care arrangements. He launched a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign to finance a legal challenge aimed at reviewing the guardianship and locating the retired explorer, whose exact whereabouts remain heavily obscured.
Buckingham Palace has not formally commented on the private communications, leaving friends and family continuing to press regulatory bodies for transparency regarding the legendary polar explorer’s health and safety.
