“We are pleased to know you are celebrating your 100th birthday,” says Marie Stothard.
She is reading a message from King Charles III and Queen Camilla in a card which she holds in her delicate hands.
A smiling photograph of the King and Queen is displayed on the front.
Marie is surrounded by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in a function room on the top floor of the care home where she lives in Hull.
Photographs and mementoes from the last century are scattered around the room.
“I never thought I’d live to be 100,” she says with a chuckle.
However, living to 100 appears to be becoming increasingly common in the UK.
Figures from Buckingham Palace show the number of congratulatory cards sent to centenarians has almost doubled over the past 20 years.
In 2005, 4,623 cards were sent to people celebrating their 100th birthday, the Palace said. By 2025, that figure had risen to 8,394.
When asked about the secret to a long life, Marie grins and looks around the room before giving a simple answer: “Family.”
She adds: “They’ve made me happy. They’re wonderful. Nothing is too much trouble and I’m very lucky.”