Ethel Caterham of Britain has celebrated her 117th birthday, making her the first British citizen in history to reach this remarkable age.
Born in 1909, three years before the Titanic disaster, Caterham has lived through both World Wars. In her younger years, she traveled to India and later resided in Hong Kong with her husband, where she established a kindergarten. In 2020, at age 110, she contracted COVID-19 and recovered.
Caterham was officially recognized as the world's oldest person in April 2025, following the death of Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas at age 116. Longevity appears to run in her family: her sister Gladys lived to 104.
Despite her extraordinary age, Caterham has demonstrated exceptional vitality throughout her later years. She continued driving until age 97 and played bridge well past her 100th birthday.
Even at 117, she maintains an optimistic outlook. "I had a wonderful day celebrating with family and friends, and I'm looking forward to seeing what next year brings," she said after her birthday celebration.
While her age is exceptional, she remains short of the verified historical record: French woman Jeanne Calment, who died in 1997 at 122 years and 164 days.
