World's Oldest Person... British Ethel Catnam Celebrates Her 117th Birthday

Ethel Cattham, the world’s oldest living person, celebrated her 117th birthday, setting a new record as the first Briton to reach this age, according to Guinness World Records.

Cattham spent her birthday at the Hallmark Lakeview care home in Lightwater, Surrey, surrounded by family and friends, according to the BBC.

In a statement, Cattham said: “Thank you for all the kind birthday wishes. Even at 117, I’ve experienced many firsts this year, from petting a llama to holding the King’s hand.”

King Charles III visited her last September, shortly after she celebrated her 116th birthday. During the meeting, she recalled his 1969 investiture as Prince of Wales when he was 21, telling him: “All the girls were in love with you and wanted to marry you.”

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Cattham was born in Hampshire on August 21, 1909, four years before the outbreak of World War I. She has witnessed six monarchs ascend the British throne and is the last living person who knew King Edward VII, who died in May 1910.

Cattham was named the world’s oldest living person in April 2025, following the death of Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas at the age of 116.

Cattham attributes her longevity to three simple things: avoiding arguments, listening to others, and doing what she loves.

She is also one of the oldest survivors of the novel coronavirus, having contracted it in 2020 at the age of 110, according to Guinness World Records.

The record for the oldest person ever to have lived remains held by Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who died in 1997 at the age of 122 years and 164 days.