World’s Oldest Person Turns 117, Becomes First Brit to Reach Historic Milestone

British woman Ethel Caterham, recognised as the world’s oldest living person, has celebrated her 117th birthday, making history as the first verified person from Britain to reach the remarkable age.

Caterham, who was born on August 21, 1909, marked the milestone with family and friends at the care home where she lives in Surrey, about 25 miles from London.

Guinness World Records confirmed that she is the first British person ever verified to have reached 117.

Ben Meyers, Chief Executive Officer of LongeviQuest, described Caterham’s longevity as extraordinary, noting that she had already made history the previous year by becoming the first British person to reach 116.

According to Meyers, Caterham is now the 13th-oldest person ever recorded and has held the title of the world’s oldest living person for one of the longest periods in recent years.

She is also believed to be the last surviving person born before 1910.

Speaking through the UK’s PA Media, Caterham said she had enjoyed celebrating her birthday with her loved ones and was looking forward to seeing what the coming year would bring.

Her remarkable life has stretched across more than a century and includes some of the most significant events in modern history, including the two World Wars, the sinking of the Titanic, the Russian Revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Caterham also survived COVID-19 after contracting the virus in 2020 at the age of 110, making her one of the oldest people known to have survived the disease.
Born in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, Caterham was the second-youngest of eight children and is regarded as the last surviving person born during the reign of King Edward VII.

At the age of 18, she travelled alone to India, where she worked as a nanny.

She later married Major Norman Caterham in 1933 at Salisbury Cathedral.

The couple spent some time living in Hong Kong, where Caterham established a nursery, before eventually returning to Surrey.

She has outlived her husband, who died in 1976, as well as both of her daughters. She is now survived by three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren.

Caterham previously received a visit from King Charles in September 2025, shortly after her 116th birthday. During their meeting, she recalled seeing him at his 1969 investiture as the Prince of Wales and jokingly told him that many girls had been in love with him and wanted to marry him.

Her extraordinary longevity continues to attract interest from researchers and longevity experts around the world, as scientists seek to better understand the factors that enable some people to live well beyond 100 years.

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