On September 21, 2025, history and longevity converged in a sunlit room at Hallmark Lakeview Care Home in Lightwater, Surrey, where King Charles III met Ethel Caterham—the world’s oldest living person at the remarkable age of 116. The meeting, warm and full of laughter, bridged more than a century of British life, offering a rare glimpse into the personal memories of a woman who has witnessed the world transform in ways most can only imagine.
Ethel Caterham, born on August 21, 1909—just three years before the Titanic tragedy—has lived through the Russian Revolution, the Great Depression, two world wars, and the Covid-19 pandemic. According to BBC, she is also the last surviving subject of Edward VII, her life spanning monarchs, empires, and technological leaps that have reshaped society. Yet, on this particular Thursday, all eyes were on the simple, heartfelt exchange between Caterham and the King.
The monarch, 76, held Caterham’s hand as they reminisced about the past. The conversation quickly turned nostalgic when Caterham recalled the King’s investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969. With a twinkle in her eye, she joked, “All the girls were in love with you and wanted to marry you.” The quip, as reported by Daily Mail and Sky News, drew a hearty laugh and raised eyebrows from the King, who replied with a playful grimace, “Yes well, all that’s left of him anyway.”
Family members joined in the fun. One of Caterham’s granddaughters, Kate Henderson, chimed in: “You were saying that the other day, weren’t you? You said ‘Prince Charles was so handsome. All the girls were in love with him.’ A true prince – and now the King.” The room filled with laughter, the warmth of shared history evident to all present.
The visit was more than a brief royal engagement. It was the fulfillment of a wish Caterham had voiced on her 116th birthday in August—a birthday she celebrated quietly with family. According to BBC, she had remarked that she would have swapped her subdued celebration for a chance to meet the King. Just a few weeks later, the monarch obliged, making the journey to see her in person.
During their conversation, Caterham recalled not just the investiture but also fond memories of a Buckingham Palace garden party she attended in the 1960s. On the table between them rested a collection of royal memorabilia: birthday cards from both Charles and Camilla, one from the late Queen Elizabeth II, and a framed, signed letter from Charles congratulating Caterham on her 116th birthday and her new status as the world’s oldest living person. These were just a few of the 17 cards she has received from the royal family since turning 100, each marking another year in a life full of stories.
Caterham’s journey through life reads like a sweeping epic. Born in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, as the second youngest of eight siblings, she grew up in Tidworth, Wiltshire, before setting off at age 18 to India, where she worked as an au pair to a military family. Her travels didn’t end there; she later lived in Gibraltar and Hong Kong, embracing the world with a sense of adventure that never left her. She met her husband, Norman, at a dinner party in the UK in 1931, and together they raised two daughters. Today, her family includes three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren, a living testament to her enduring legacy.
Even in her later years, Caterham defied expectations. She drove a car until she was 97 and survived Covid-19 at the age of 110, proving that her resilience matched her longevity. As The Telegraph notes, Caterham became the world’s oldest living person in April 2025, following the passing of Brazilian nun Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, who was also 116. The milestone was marked by a congratulatory letter from King Charles, acknowledging what he called a “truly remarkable milestone.”
The royal visit was not the only event on King Charles’s busy schedule that week. According to Daily Mail, the King had just attended the funeral of the Duchess of Kent and bid a formal farewell to US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania after their state visit. The state banquet, held at Windsor Castle, was a grand affair, with the “Waterloo Table” seating 162 guests, a detail shared by the Royal Collection Trust. Amid these diplomatic and ceremonial obligations, the King’s visit to Caterham stood out as a moment of genuine connection, a pause in the whirlwind of royal duties to honor a life of extraordinary length and experience.
For Caterham, the meeting was more than a brush with royalty—it was a chance to share her memories and her humor with the King she has watched grow from a young prince to a monarch. She told the King, “I remember when your mother crowned you in Caernarfon Castle,” referencing his investiture. The King, delighted by her vivid recollection, laughed along with her, the two sharing a bond that transcended age and status.
In the quiet of her care home room, surrounded by family and mementos, Caterham offered a living link to the past. Her life, stretching from the Edwardian era through the digital age, is a reminder of the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit. As Sky News and BBC reported, her story is not just one of survival but of thriving—embracing new experiences, cherishing family, and finding joy in the unexpected, like a royal visit.
As the King took his leave, the sense lingered that this was more than just a ceremonial visit. It was a celebration of memory, history, and the small moments that connect us all—whether we wear a crown or simply remember the day the world changed, one century after another.
