Wife allows relatives to visit Sir Ranulph Fiennes, but bars stepson

Sir Ranulph Fiennes’s wife, Louise Millington-Cotes, has begun allowing a small number of friends and relatives to visit him after concerns grew about his welfare and whereabouts. Her son, Alex, remains barred from seeing his stepfather, while relatives and friends are seeking a Court of Protection hearing to examine whether she is using her power of attorney in his best interests.

Fiennes, 82, has Parkinson’s disease and was moved to a specialist dementia unit after being transferred between care homes and other locations. He was last seen publicly in October 2024; an investigation found that in one year he had been moved between five places, including four care homes and a hotel, and spent 49 days at a Welsh facility. Care Inspectorate Wales concluded he was unlawfully deprived of his liberty there because the required authorisation was missing; the home’s owner also raised concerns about medication and lack of medical oversight. People who have visited say he is being well cared for, but restrictions on access remain a concern.