World’s Oldest Person: Meet the 117-Year-Old Woman Who Survived Two World Wars and Covid-19
The world’s oldest living person, Ethel Caterham, celebrated her 117th birthday on Friday, August 21.
Caterham lives in a care home in Surrey, around 25 miles from London.
Guinness World Records confirmed that she is the first British person to reach the age of 117.
“I’ve had a lovely day celebrating with my family and friends, and I look forward to seeing what next year brings,” Caterham told the UK’s PA Media news agency.
João Marinho Neto of Brazil, who holds the record as the world’s oldest living man, also sent her a birthday message.
King Charles visited Caterham in September 2025, shortly after her 116th birthday.
During their meeting, she remembered watching his investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969.
“All the girls were in love with you and wanted to marry you.”
Caterham’s life has covered more than a century of major historical events, including two World Wars, the sinking of the Titanic, the Russian Revolution and the Covid-19 pandemic.
She contracted Covid-19 in 2020 at the age of 110 and recovered.
Caterham was born on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire. She was the second youngest of eight children.
She is the last known surviving person born during the reign of King Edward VII.
At 18, Caterham travelled alone to India, where she worked as a nanny for a military family.
She met British Army officer Norman Caterham at a dinner party in 1931. They married two years later.
The couple lived in Salisbury and later moved overseas. While living in Hong Kong, Caterham established a kindergarten.
They eventually returned to Britain and raised two daughters, who have both since died. Her husband died in 1976.
Caterham now has three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren.
Despite reaching 117, she remains five years short of the longest verified human lifespan.
Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment holds that record. She died in 1997 at the age of 122 years and 164 days.
Watch the Video below:
King Charles had a touching moment with the world’s oldest living person, 116-year-old Ethel Caterham, who told him that “all the girls were in love” with him when he was invested as Prince of Wales in 1969 🥹#kingcharles #royalfamily
📽️: @RoyalFamily pic.twitter.com/aDXMCeBHdB— HELLO! Canada (@HelloCanada) September 21, 2025
