The King was allegedly blocked from contacting Sir Ranulph Fiennes by the explorer’s wife – after she became angry her phone number had been passed on without permission.
Sir Ranulph, 82, who has Parkinson’s and has not been seen publicly for over two years, is said to have been given a false name by his second wife and moved between a series of care homes.
Friends of the adventurer, including Bear Grylls, have launched a desperate bid to locate him after his family’s pleas for help were ‘ignored’.
It has now emerged that King Charles also attempted to check on Sir Ranulph’s wellbeing – but his ‘controlling’ wife and legal guardian, Louise Millington–Cotes, told the Palace to ‘back off’.
The King’s equerry is believed to have contacted an individual who had written a letter asking how the King could get in touch with Sir Ranulph and was given a phone number for Ms Millington–Cotes.
The monarch was said to have been ‘most concerned’ after being alerted to his friend Sir Ranulph’s declining health and isolation, one of his staff said.
The intermediary was said to have thought Sir Ranulph would be ‘thrilled’ to know the King cared so much about him.
It has emerged King Charles attempted to check on Sir Ranulph’s wellbeing – but his ‘controlling’ wife and legal guardian told the Palace to ‘back off’
Sir Ranulph Fiennes and his second wife Louise Millington-Cotes, pictured after returning to Britain following a failed attempt to climb Everest
Sir Ranulph Fiennes on the first unsupported crossing of Antarctica in 1992
But Millington–Cotes was allegedly angry the Palace had been given her details and threatened the intermediary with a solicitor and the police, The Telegraph reported.
She reportedly told the intermediary to ‘back off’ – claiming they had caused her husband ‘immense distress’.
Often described as the world’s greatest living explorer, Sir Ranulph’s achievements include running seven marathons in seven days across seven continents, and climbing Everest aged 65, four years after a heart attack.
But since 2024 he has been kept in a succession of care homes, reportedly under a false name, with the Care Inspectorate concluding he has been unlawfully deprived of his liberty.
The explorer married Ms Millington–Cotes, who is 23 years his junior, in 2005, a little over a year after the death of his first wife.
According to Sir Ranulph’s stepson, who is estranged from his mother, she became increasingly ‘dominating’.
Ms Millington–Cotes is said to have told friends the King hated her husband and Queen Camilla had helicopters fly over their property to annoy them.
Initially friends were allowed to see Sir Ranulph if they signed non–disclosure agreements, but since the start of this year the explorer’s whereabouts have become unknown.
Sir Ranulph pictured with TV adventurer Ben Fogle, who has called on police to investigate the ‘very troubling’ way his friend is being kept ‘isolated’
Anton Bowring, who took part in the Transglobe Expedition, of which the King was patron, with Sir Ranulph between 1979 and 1982 previously wrote to the King’s private secretary to inform His Majesty 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 reported.
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.
