World's Oldest Person UK's Ethel Caterham Turns 116

Ethel Caterham, who resides in a Surrey care home, is celebrating her 116th birthday, having become the world's oldest living person earlier this year following the death of Brazilian nun Sister Inah Canbarro Lucas. Born in 1909, Ethel is the last surviving subject of King Edward VII and has witnessed significant historical events including two world wars and the Covid pandemic. She spent her early adulthood working as an au pair in India and later married British Army officer Norman Caterham, with whom she lived in Hong Kong and Gibraltar before returning to the UK to raise their two daughters. Known for her resilience and positive outlook, Ethel credits her longevity to a life without arguments and a willingness to embrace opportunities. While she prefers a quiet celebration with family and declines interviews, she has received kind messages and a birthday card from King Charles for her 115th birthday. Ethel’s record remains far from the longest-lived person, a French woman who reached 122 years, but she is celebrated as the oldest ever British person.