British woman Ethel Kathram named world's oldest living person at 117
Ethel Kathram, a British woman, has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living person at 117 years old.
Ethel Caterham, the world's oldest living person, turned 117 years old this year. The British resident made the milestone celebration with her family and friends in a care home in Surrey. Guinness World Records and longevity experts LongeviQuest recognized her as the oldest living person in 2025. Caterham, born on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, is the youngest of eight siblings and currently the last person alive who was born during King Edward VII's reign.
She has lived through significant historical events, including two World Wars, the Titanic sinking, the Russian Revolution, and the Covid-19 pandemic. At 110, Caterham contracted Covid-19 but recovered. She traveled to India at 18 to become a nanny for a military family before marrying British Army Major Norman Caterham in 1933.
The couple lived in various countries, including Hong Kong, where Ethel established a kindergarten. King Charles III visited her in September 2025, shortly after her 116th birthday, recalling his 1969 investiture as Prince of Wales. Ethel Caterham has three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren. The record for the longest human lifespan is still held by Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who lived to 122 years and 164 days.
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