When someone reaches an extraordinary age, everyone wants to know their secret. For 116-year-old Ethel Caterham — now the world’s oldest woman — it isn’t a special diet. It’s simple: “Never arguing with anyone. I listen and I do what I like.”
Born on August 21, 1909, Ethel has lived through the Titanic, two World Wars, the moon landing, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the rise of the internet. Longevity runs in her family, too — her sister Gladys lived to 104.
Raised in Wiltshire as one of eight children, Ethel began her adult life as an au pair in British India, experiencing a mix of British and Indian traditions. After returning to the UK, she met army major Norman Caterham; they married in 1933 and lived in Hong Kong and Gibraltar before settling in Surrey with their two daughters. Norman died in 1976.
Ethel continued to rack up milestones: she founded a nursery in Hong Kong, drove until age 97, played bridge for decades, and even survived Covid-19 at 110.
Recognized by Guinness World Records and LongeviQuest, she became the UK’s oldest person in 2022 and the world’s oldest in 2025. King Charles III congratulated her personally on her 116th birthday — the first time any Briton has reached that age.
Now living in a Surrey care home, Ethel remains admired for her strength, independence, and remarkable life story.