Ranulph Fiennes
1944– · British (Windsor) · Modern Era
Known for: World's greatest living explorer—first to reach both Poles, first to circumnavigate the world on its polar axis, cut off his own frostbitten fingers with a saw
Fiennes is a former SAS officer who has spent decades pushing the limits of human endurance. He cut off his own frostbitten fingers with a saw in his garden shed. He crossed Antarctica on foot, ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven days just four months after a heart attack, and summited Everest at 65.
He has raised over £20 million for charity. He married his childhood sweetheart Louise, who supported his expeditions for decades; after her death, he married another expedition companion. He is modest, laconic, and slightly mad in the best British tradition.
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