Brit of a Miracle: 115-Year-Old Woman Becomes Oldest Living Person on Earth

Ethel Caterham, a 115-year-old British lady from Surrey, has now been officially named the world's oldest living person by Guinness World Records. Born on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, she is Britain's oldest ever person and the last surviving person born in the reign of King Edward VII.

 

Caterham took over the title from Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, who passed away at the age of 116 on April 30, 2025. Caterham is now 115 years and 252 days old and resides in a residential home in Lightwater, Surrey. When questioned about how she achieves her longevity, she earlier stated, "I do what I like," attributing it to a vigorous temperament.

 

Her life spans across three centuries, from being an au pair during British India, to bringing up a family, and living in Gibraltar and Hong Kong. The record of Ethel Caterham demonstrates the unparalleled resilience and past that exists within supercentenarians worldwide.

 

Sources: The Telegraph, UPI, Guinness World Records