World's oldest person celebrates turning 117
Ethel Caterham, a 117-year-old British woman, is celebrating her birthday as the world's oldest living person. She has lived through major historical events, including two world wars and the Titanic disaster, and remains a notable figure in Guinness World Records.
Why it matters
Her longevity provides a unique historical perspective on the 20th and 21st centuries and highlights advancements in human health and aging.
Image caption, Ethel Caterham received a card from King Charles on her 115th birthday in 2024
The world's oldest living person celebrates turning 117 years old in Surrey on Friday with her family and friends.
Ethel Caterham, who lives at Hallmark Lakeview Care Home in Lightwater, took on the mantle in April 2025 after the death of Brazilian nun Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas at the age of 116.
Born three years before the Titanic disaster and eight years before the Russian Revolution, Ethel has also lived through two world wars.
In addition, she is one of the oldest people to survive Covid-19, after contracting it in 2020 at the age of 110, according to Guinness World Records.
Originally from Shipton Bellinger in Hampshire, the second youngest of eight children, Ethel was raised in Tidworth, Wiltshire.
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