Ethel Caterham, recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest verified living person, celebrated her 116th birthday on August 21, 2025. The celebration was a quiet gathering with family at her care home in Lightwater, Surrey, England.
Born on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, Caterham has witnessed two world wars, the Titanic disaster, and six British monarchs. She is the last surviving subject of King Edward VII.
She became the world’s oldest living person in April 2025, following the death of Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas. Caterham also holds the record as the oldest British person ever, surpassing Charlotte Hughes.
Caterham led an adventurous life. At 18, she worked as an au pair in British India and later founded a nursery in Hong Kong. She married Norman Caterham, a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Army Pay Corps, in 1933, and had two daughters.
The family lived in Hong Kong and Gibraltar before settling in Surrey, where she has lived for over 50 years. She outlived her husband and daughters and now has three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren.
Her longevity is often credited to her positive outlook. In a 2020 BBC Radio Surrey interview, she said, “I’ve taken everything in my stride, the highs and lows. I listen and I do what I like.” Caterham also survived COVID-19 in 2020 at the age of 110.
Her care home marked her previous birthday with a tiara, cake, and a garden section named “Ethel’s Garden.” This year, she received a letter from King Charles III, who called her milestone “truly remarkable.” Caterham chose to spend her 116th birthday quietly with family and declined interviews.
While supercentenarian claims are sometimes questioned, Caterham’s age is well verified by LongeviQuest and the Gerontology Research Group. The oldest verified person ever was Jeanne Louise Calment of France, who lived to 122. Caterham, who enjoys classical music and time in her garden, continues to inspire with her resilience and love for life.
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