Charles with Ashley and granddaughter Isla. Photo: Supplied.
When Charles Smith held his newborn granddaughter for the first time, he knew the moment was extraordinary, though he had no idea it was also historic – and record breaking. On 29 August 2025, his son, Ashley, and daughter-in-law, Hanna, welcomed their daughter, Isla. That day, Charles became the world’s oldest first-time grandfather at 91 years and 209 days old.
Charles was unaware of the record until Ashley and Hanna handed him a Guinness World Records certificate. They had applied in secret, wanting to surprise him. Before retiring, Charles spent years promoting motor sports, including the Grand Prix. He became a father later in life, welcoming Ashley at 55, and now he proudly goes by “Poppy”. As he put it, “There are plenty of grandpas around. Poppy suits me.”
Thinking back to the moment he first met Isla, he laughed. “I picked her up and didn’t want to give her back – except for the nappy changes,” Charles told Guinness. He’s convinced they bonded instantly. “She looks at me in my Poppy hat and laughs. I look at my family – Ashley, Hanna, and Isla – and I know this is it. Family.” Even with the attention around his record, Charles stays grounded. “She’s my granddaughter. Record-breaking or not, she’s my family.”
Ashley says his dad’s independence is what stands out most. Charles spends his retirement travelling around Australia in his camper van and taking his boat out on Moreton Bay. According to Ashley, age hasn’t slowed him down and he is now more active than ever. Perhaps the new arrival has put an extra spring in his step?
Hanna told Guinness that she remembers being told Charles was “a little older” before she met him, but she never noticed. “He had such a spring in his step. I feel incredibly lucky to have him as my father-in-law. And it makes us laugh – if Isla had arrived any earlier, he might not have qualified for the record.”
