World’s oldest living person Ethel Caterham turns 116

Ethel Caterham, recognized as the world’s oldest living person, has marked her 116th birthday.

Born on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, Caterham now resides in a care home in Lightwater, Surrey.

She became the oldest living person in April following the passing of Brazilian nun Sister Inah Canbarro Lucas.

Caterham is the last surviving subject of King Edward VII. Throughout her life, she witnessed major global events, including two world wars, and lived in India, Hong Kong, and Gibraltar with her late husband, Lieutenant Colonel Norman Caterham.

Her care home confirmed she is celebrating the milestone quietly with her family, thanking the public for their kind wishes.

Caterham had previously received a birthday card from King Charles III on her 115th birthday in 2024.

The record for the longest verified lifespan remains with Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who lived to 122 years and 164 days before her death in 1997.