King Charles meets the oldest woman in the world: a historic meeting!

King Charles meets the oldest woman in the world: a historic meeting!

A very special meeting recently took place in Lightwater, Surrey. King Charles III visited Ethel Caterham, probably the oldest living person in the world. At an impressive 116 years and 30 days old, the British native is an impressive personality who has held this title since the death of Inah Canabarro Lucas on April 30, 2025. Ethel Caterham, born August 21, 1909, is not only the oldest verified living person, but also the last to live while Edward VII was still alive. That reports, among other things Radio Westfalica.

Ethel Caterham has experienced a lot - from her childhood in a large family in Hampshire, where she grew up as the second youngest of eight children, to her exciting life in different countries. At the age of 18, she traveled to British India, where she worked as an au pair for a military family. Her memories are a remarkable look back at a completely different time. During her meeting with the King, she humorously recalled Charles's accession as Prince of Wales in 1969, when she was still in her prime. “All the girls were in love with him and wanted to marry him,” she told him, to which Charles commented with a laugh and raised eyebrows.

A life full of stories

Caterham has acquired an impressive range of experience throughout her life. After her marriage in 1931 to Norman Caterham, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Army Pay Corps, the couple lived in, among other places, Hong Kong and Gibraltar, where she also founded a preschool. Her life is characterized by remarkable vitality; She drove a car until she was 97 and still enjoyed playing bridge in her later years. However, she lost her two daughters, with the death of her second daughter Anne in February 2020 being particularly painful, as she had been living with her in an annex until then.

The oldest British woman ever was moved to a care home in Ash Vale and then to Lightwater after the loss of her daughter. By the way, Ethel Caterham also survived the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which is quite remarkable given her age. She was visited by the Mayor of Surrey Heath on her 111th birthday, a mark of recognition for her incredible life's work.

What does the research say?

The age of Ethel Caterham is a fascinating example of the demographic changes that are also being observed in Germany. Loud BIB There are various research groups studying the effects of increasing longevity and demographic change. The research director Prof. Dr. Sebastian Klüsener points out that the population is getting older, which not only brings challenges for society, but also opportunities.

Ethel Caterham's life is a valuable perspective, particularly at a time when baby boomers are entering retirement age and regional differences between growing and shrinking regions are becoming increasingly clear. Her story shows the importance of both valuing older generations and considering the social and spatial disparities that can arise as demographic changes occur.

A previously unpaid legacy that Ethel Caterham and similar figures can teach us is the oft-quoted secret to longevity, which Caterham summarized in several interviews as “taking it all in stride.” In a time characterized by so much rapid change, this life motto could certainly offer a valuable approach for many of us.