Full Breakdown
Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ Care Home Situation Sparks Calls for Investigation
By Drooid · · How we work
Alleged unlawful deprivation of liberty
Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the 82-year-old explorer, has reportedly been moved between several care homes under a false name after his wife, Louise Millington-Cotes, was granted a lasting power of attorney (LPA) in 2024. Care-home owners in Wales and Cheshire have raised concerns about his wellbeing, unusual medication arrangements and an incomplete “do not resuscitate” document. The Care Inspectorate of Wales has stated that he is being “unlawfully deprived of his liberty” because no authorised deprivation order is in place and he cannot consent to his care, treatment or accommodation.
Legal framework and guardianship issues
A lasting power of attorney allows a designated person to make decisions for someone who lacks capacity, but it does not replace the legal safeguards required when a person is placed in restrictive care. Under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), an independent assessment and a representative are required before a person can be confined. The care-home owner told the newspaper that Mrs Millington-Cotes was instructed to secure a DoLS order but never did so. An OPG spokesperson explained the purpose of an LPA:
> “A Lasting Power of Attorney is an important way to ensure that certain decisions about care and finances are made by someone you trust if you lack the capacity to make them yourself. We cannot comment on individual cases.” — “A Lasting Power of Attorney is an important way to ensure that certain decisions about care and finances are made by someone you trust if you lack the capacity to make them yourself. We cannot comment on individual cases.” — An OPG spokesperson
Family, friends and care-provider reactions
Friends of Sir Ranulph, including veteran BBC correspondent John Simpson, have publicly called for transparency and an OPG investigation. Alexander Millington-Cotes, the explorer’s stepson, reported contacting the OPG’s safeguarding team without receiving a response and is now crowdfunding a legal challenge to his mother’s LPA. The care-home owner said Mrs Millington-Cotes provided a private carer, gave staff strict daily instructions and supplied all medication herself, rather than registering Sir Ranulph with a local GP. The owner also noted a “falling out” after she refused to allow an application for a DoLS order.
Official statements and findings
The Office of the Public Guardian declined to comment on the specific case, reiterating the general role of an LPA. Sir Ranulph himself has spoken publicly about his Parkinson’s diagnosis, noting:
> “I think the Parkinson stuff is very different with different sufferers from it.” — “I think the Parkinson stuff is very different with different sufferers from it.” — Sir Ranulph, power of attorney
What comes next
The OPG has indicated that it will review the safeguarding concerns, while the stepson’s crowdfunding effort aims to fund a legal challenge to the current LPA arrangement. No further comment has been provided by Mrs Millington-Cotes or the care-home providers, and the situation remains under investigation.