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Ethel Caterham: The British Supercentenarian Who Became The Oldest Living Person After Guinness Validation
On September 18, 2025, Charles III left Windsor after officially bidding farewell to President Donald Trump and made an unscheduled stop during his state visit. He went to visit Ethel Caterham. The British supercentenarian, then aged 116 years, was living in a nursing home in Lightwater, Surrey, England. She was officially recognized as the oldest living person in the world, with her age validated by Guinness World Records in partnership with LongeviQuest.
She had declined media interviews around her 116th birthday in August. She said her only concession would be for the king. The king showed up.
When Charles introduced himself, Ethel remarked that she remembered his investiture as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in 1969. Charles was 21 years old. She was 59. She recalled the ceremony as if it were recent. She said all the girls were in love with him.
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The king responded with humor. The scene spanned seven decades of British history.
Last Survivor Born During The Reign Of Edward VII And A Living Link To The Early 20th Century
Ethel May Collins was born on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, Southern England. She was the second youngest of eight siblings.
The monarch on the throne on the day of her birth was Edward VII.
Edward VII died in May 1910, when Ethel was less than nine months old. She did not remember the king, but historical records indicate that she became the last living person on the planet born during the Edwardian reign.
Since then, she has lived through six British reigns:
- George V
- Edward VIII
- George VI
- Elizabeth II
- Charles III
As of March 2026, she remains in Lightwater, Surrey, as the oldest woman in the world with verified age.
British Supercentenarian Traveled Alone To India At 18
In 1927, at the age of 18, Ethel embarked alone to British India, on a three-week sea voyage, to work as a nanny for a British military family.
She spent four years in the territory, which was still part of the British Empire. Indian independence would only come in 1947.
She described the experience as fascinating: British traditions coexisting with Indian customs. Upon returning to the UK, she carried rare stories for a young woman from rural Hampshire.
In 1931, she met Norman Caterham, a major in the British Army. They married at Salisbury Cathedral in 1933. They lived in Gibraltar and Hong Kong, where Ethel opened a bilingual nursery.
Later, they settled in Surrey. They had two daughters. Norman died in 1976. Ethel inherited her husband’s Triumph Dolomite and drove it until she was 97 — one of the milestones often cited in coverage of her longevity.
Guinness World Records And LongeviQuest: How She Was Validated As The Oldest Person In The World
Recognition as the oldest living person requires rigorous documentation validation. LongeviQuest requires:
- Birth certificate
- Continuous records from childhood to old age
- Complete civil documentation
- Verification by a specialized committee
Ethel’s case was also monitored by the Gerontology Research Group.
In April 2025, after the death of Brazilian Inah Canabarro Lucas, who was 116 years and 326 days old, the global title officially passed to Ethel Caterham.
On April 7, 2025, she had already become the oldest person in documented UK history, surpassing the record held by Charlotte Hughes for 33 years.
On August 21, 2025, she turned 116 — an unprecedented milestone in verified British history.
Survived COVID-19 At 110 During The Pandemic
In 2020, at 110 years old, Ethel contracted COVID-19. She survived. She made a full recovery.
Surviving COVID-19 at supercentenarian age is considered an extreme case in longevity literature.
Her sister Gladys Babilas lived to 104, suggesting a possible genetic component associated with extreme longevity.
Since turning 100, she received official cards from the British Royal Family. Over the years, she accumulated 17 messages from Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III.
The Historic Meeting With King Charles III At 116
On September 18, 2025, at the Hallmark Lakeview Care Home, the following were displayed on the table:
- Official card from Charles and Camilla
- Card from the late Elizabeth II
- Handwritten letter signed by the King
Charles sat next to her. Ethel was wearing golden sandals, a sage green dress, and a light pink shawl. She recalled events in the garden of Buckingham Palace and the investiture of 1969.
It was described by the British press as a genuinely affectionate meeting between the monarch and the oldest living woman in the world.
The Secret To Longevity According To Ethel Caterham
When asked about the secret to reaching 116 years, she replies:
“Say yes to opportunities. Maintain a positive mental attitude. Do everything in moderation.”
She drove until she was 97. Played bridge for decades. Maintained advanced autonomy. In longevity research, her case includes significant markers:
- Late cognitive preservation
- Absence of limiting chronic diseases
- Family history of longevity
- Active life for over eight decades
No single factor explains 116 years. The combination is rare enough for scientific study.
British Record And Comparison With The Absolute World Record
Only three people in the UK had reached 115 years old before her. Ethel became the first documented British woman in history to reach 116 years.
For comparison, the absolute world record belongs to Jeanne Calment, who died at 122 years and 164 days old. LongeviQuest researchers do not make projections — they simply validate records.
As of March 2026, what is documented is that Ethel May Caterham is the oldest living person in the world with verified existence.
Last Edwardian. First British woman to reach 116 years. And the woman who, upon reuniting with the king decades after her youth, made the monarch laugh as if time had not passed.
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