British woman Ethel Caterham is the oldest person in the world, at the age of 115 and 252 days.
Caterham, who lives in a Surrey care home, reached the milestone following the death of Brazilian nun Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, aged 116 on Thursday.
Born on 21 August 1909 , she has lived through the sinking of the Titanic, World War I, the Russian Revolution, the Great Depression and World War II.
The only surviving subject of Edward VII, Caterham says the secret to her longevity is “never arguing with anyone, I listen and I do what I like”.
On her 115th birthday last year, she said she “didn’t know why there was all the fuss”.
Caterham is also one of the oldest people to survive Covid-19, after contracting it in 2020 at the age of 110, according to Guinness World Records.
Born in Shipton Bellinger, in Hampshire, Caterham was the second youngest of eight children.
At the age of 18, she was employed as an au pair to a military family in India and met her future husband, Norman Caterham, on her return to the UK in 1931. They married at Salisbury Cathedral in 1933.
After Norman became a lieutenant colonel in the army, and the couple were stationed in Hong Kong and Gibraltar.
Caterham has spent the last 50 years living in Surrey and continued driving until she was 97.
Caterham received a letter from the King congratulating her on a “truly remarkable milestone” on her 115th birthday.
The letter stated that His Majesty was “heartened to learn about Ethel’s fascinating personal history”.
Caterham’s milestone was confirmed by Guinness World Records and LongeviQuest, a database of the world’s oldest people.
Mark McKinley, director of records at Guinness World Records, told BBC Radio that “Ethel never set out to be a record breaker.
“But we’re hoping to meet her some time soon and present her with her certificate.”
Live News
