Ethel Caterham in 2026: Net Worth, Age, Daughters, Young, Husband, and FAQs

Who Is Ethel Caterham?

If you have been following news about the world's oldest people, you have probably come across the name Ethel Caterham. She is currently recognised as the oldest living person on the planet, and she just turned 117 years old in August 2026. That is not a typo. One hundred and seventeen.

Ethel was born on 21 August 1909 in a small village called Shipton Bellinger in Hampshire, England. To give you some context, that was the same year the Wright Brothers were still making headlines and King Edward VII was on the British throne. She has literally lived through two World Wars, the sinking of the Titanic era, the invention of television, the internet revolution, and a global pandemic.

According to Icon Polls findings, Ethel Caterham is one of the most searched supercentenarians online in 2026, and for good reason. Her story is not just about living long. It is about living well, staying positive, and saying yes to life no matter what it throws at you.

Ethel Caterham Age

As of August 2026, Ethel Caterham is 117 years old. She celebrated her 117th birthday on 21 August 2026 at her care home in Lightwater, Surrey. This milestone made her the first British person in recorded history to reach the age of 117. She is also only the 13th person in the entire world ever verified to have reached this age.

Guinness World Records officially recognises her as the oldest living person. Her age has been validated by both the Gerontology Research Group and LongeviQuest, which are the main organisations that track and verify extreme longevity around the world.

Ethel Caterham Nationality

Ethel Caterham is British. She was born in Hampshire, England, grew up in Tidworth, Wiltshire, and has spent the majority of her life in England. She did travel abroad during her younger years, spending time in India, Hong Kong, and Gibraltar, but she always came back home to England. For more than 50 years, she has lived in Surrey, which is where she remains today.

Ethel Caterham Husband

Ethel met her husband, Norman Caterham, at a dinner party in 1931. Norman was a Major in the British Army, and the two hit it off straight away. They got married at Salisbury Cathedral in 1933, which was a special place for Norman because he had been a choirboy there as a young lad.

Norman went on to rise through the ranks and became a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Army Pay Corps. His military career took the couple to various postings including Hong Kong and Gibraltar. They eventually settled back in Surrey, England, where they raised their family together. Sadly, Norman passed away in 1976, leaving Ethel a widow at the age of 67. She never remarried.

Ethel Caterham Daughters

Ethel and Norman had two daughters together, Gem and Anne. The girls were born while the family was stationed in Gibraltar during Norman's military postings. After the family returned to England, the daughters grew up in Surrey.

Unfortunately, Ethel has had to deal with the heartbreak of outliving both of her children. Gem passed away in the early 2000s, and Anne died of cancer in February 2020 at the age of 82. Losing a child is devastating at any age, and losing both of them is something that is hard for most people to even imagine. Despite this, Ethel has continued to show remarkable strength. She still has three granddaughters and five great grandchildren who visit her regularly at her care home.

Ethel Caterham Brother and Siblings

Ethel was the second youngest of eight children born to Alfred William Collins and Fanny Elizabeth Collins (nee Shears). She grew up in a large family in Tidworth, Wiltshire. While detailed records of all her siblings are not widely available, it is known that her older sister Gladys Maud Babilas lived to the impressive age of 104, passing away on 9 March 2002. Longevity clearly runs in the Collins family.

Growing up as one of eight children in early 20th century England would have meant a busy household and not a lot of luxury. But the close family bonds she formed early in life seem to have stayed with her throughout the decades.

Is Ethel Caterham Still Alive?

Yes, Ethel Caterham is very much alive as of August 2026. She currently lives at Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home in Lightwater, Surrey, England. She celebrated her 117th birthday on 21 August 2026 with family, friends, and staff at the care home. According to Icon Polls research, she remains in good health and enjoys sitting in the garden (which the care home renamed 'Ethel's Garden' in her honour) and listening to classical music and birdsong.

In 2020, at the age of 110, Ethel contracted COVID 19 during the pandemic but made a full recovery, making her one of the oldest known survivors of the virus. She even met King Charles III in September 2025, which was a moment that made national headlines.

Ethel Caterham Young and Early Life

When Ethel was young, she was clearly an adventurous spirit. At just 18 years old, in 1927, she took a job as a nanny for a British family living in India. She boarded a ship all by herself and made the three week voyage to India alone. Keep in mind, this was 1927. A young woman travelling alone to India by ship was not exactly common at the time. She spent three years there before returning to England.

After coming back, she met Norman at a dinner party in 1931 and the rest, as they say, is history. During her time in Hong Kong with her husband, Ethel set up a nursery for both local and British children, where she taught English, games, and crafts. She was always doing something meaningful with her time, which seems to be a common thread in her life.

Even into her later years, Ethel stayed active. She drove her late husband's classic Triumph Dolomite car until she was 97 years old and was a regular bridge player well into her centenarian years.

Ethel Caterham Net Worth

There is no publicly available financial data on Ethel Caterham. She lived a quiet, private life as a military wife and later as a widow in Surrey. She was never a celebrity or public figure in the traditional sense, so there are no business ventures or entertainment earnings to speak of.

That said, Icon Polls estimates that Ethel Caterham's net worth is between $50,000 to $100,000. This estimate takes into account possible savings, pensions, and assets accumulated over her very long life. Her husband Norman was a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army, which would have provided a military pension. She also lived independently for decades in Surrey, one of the more affluent areas of England, before moving to a care home.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ethel Caterham

1. How old is Ethel Caterham?

Ethel Caterham is 117 years old. She was born on 21 August 1909 and celebrated her 117th birthday on 21 August 2026.

2. Is Ethel Caterham the oldest person in the world?

Yes. As of August 2026, Ethel Caterham is officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest living person in the world.

3. Where was Ethel Caterham born?

She was born in Shipton Bellinger, a village in Hampshire, England.

4. What nationality is Ethel Caterham?

She is British. She has lived in England for the vast majority of her life.

5. Is Ethel Caterham still alive in 2026?

Yes, she is alive and living at a care home in Lightwater, Surrey, England.

6. Who was Ethel Caterham's husband?

Her husband was Norman Caterham, a British Army officer who rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. They married in 1933 at Salisbury Cathedral. He passed away in 1976.

7. How many children did Ethel Caterham have?

She had two daughters, Gem and Anne. Sadly, both have passed away.

8. Does Ethel Caterham have grandchildren?

Yes, she has three granddaughters and five great grandchildren.

9. What is Ethel Caterham's secret to a long life?

Ethel has said that her approach to life is to never argue with anyone, to listen, and to do what she likes. She also once said to say yes to every opportunity and to have a positive mental attitude with everything in moderation.

10. Did Ethel Caterham survive COVID 19?

Yes. She contracted COVID 19 in 2020 at the age of 110 and made a full recovery, making her one of the oldest known survivors of the virus.

11. What is Ethel Caterham's net worth?

Icon Polls estimates her net worth to be between $50,000 and $100,000, based on pensions, savings, and lifetime assets.

12. Where does Ethel Caterham live now?

She lives at Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home in Lightwater, Surrey, England.

13. Did Ethel Caterham meet King Charles?

Yes. King Charles III visited Ethel at her care home in September 2025. The meeting was widely covered in the media.

14. How many siblings did Ethel Caterham have?

She was one of eight children. Her parents were Alfred William Collins and Fanny Elizabeth Collins. Her sister Gladys Babilas also lived to 104.

15. What did Ethel Caterham do for a living?

Ethel worked as a nanny in India when she was young and later set up a nursery in Hong Kong for local and British children. She was primarily a homemaker and military wife throughout her adult life.

16. When did Ethel Caterham become the world's oldest person?

She became the world's oldest living person on 30 April 2025, following the death of Inah Canabarro Lucas of Brazil.

17. Is Ethel Caterham the oldest British person ever?

Yes. On 7 April 2025, she surpassed Charlotte Hughes to become the oldest verified person ever from the United Kingdom.

18. Did Ethel Caterham travel abroad?

Yes, she travelled to India alone at 18, lived in Hong Kong and Gibraltar with her husband during his military postings, and eventually settled back in Surrey, England.

19. What historical events has Ethel Caterham lived through?

She has lived through both World Wars, the sinking of the Titanic era, the Russian Revolution, the Great Depression, the moon landing, the invention of television, the birth of the internet, the smartphone revolution, and the COVID 19 pandemic. She has been alive during the reigns of six British monarchs.

20. What records does Ethel Caterham hold?

As of 2026, she holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest living person. She is the first British person to reach 117, the oldest verified British person ever, and the last known surviving person born in the 1900s decade. She is also the last known surviving subject of King Edward VII. According to Icon Polls, she is one of the most remarkable record holders of this generation.