Later years
Caterham drove until she was 97 and enjoyed playing contract bridge in her centenarian years. [6] [4] Both of her daughters pre-deceased her. [6] She had lived in an annexe within the home of her younger daughter, Anne, until Anne’s death in February 2020 at the age of 82. [6] Following this, Caterham relocated to a care facility in Ash Vale, Surrey, and later moved to another home in Lightwater. [7] [8]
In 2020, at the age of 110, Caterham survived COVID-19. [9] Shortly before her 111th birthday, she was interviewed by BBC Radio Surrey, where she attributed her longevity to "taking everything in my stride, the highs and the lows." [8] On her 111th birthday in August 2020, she was visited by the mayor of Surrey Heath, having been the oldest living resident of Surrey since January 2019. [8] [10]
On 22 January 2022, following the death of Mary "Mollie" Walker, [11] Caterham became the oldest living person in the United Kingdom. [9] [4] On 7 October 2022, after the death of Rose Eaton, she became the last known surviving subject of Edward VII. [9] [4]
Upon turning 115 in August 2024, Caterham became the third British person verified to reach this age, [12] and the first to do so since Annie Jennings in 1999. [13]
On 7 April 2025, Caterham surpassed Charlotte Hughes' age, to become the oldest person ever from the United Kingdom. [14] On 30 April, following the death of Inah Canabarro Lucas of Brazil, Caterham became both the world’s oldest living person and the last known individual born in the 1900s decade. [15]
On 21 August 2025, Caterham celebrated her 116th birthday, becoming the first person in British history to reach this age. [16] [17] She received a congratulatory message from João Marinho Neto of Brazil (born 5 October 1912), the world’s oldest living man – reportedly the first documented exchange between the world’s oldest verified woman and oldest verified man. [18]
On 18 September 2025, Caterham met King Charles III, with whom she exchanged pleasantries. [19]
