The world’s tallest and shortest women vowed to “inspire people to celebrate their differences” as they met for afternoon tea in London.
Rumeysa Gelgi, a 27-year-old Turkish web developer, and Indian actress Jyoti Amge, 30, swapped stories and life experiences during their meeting at The Savoy hotel.
Ms Gelgi holds the Guinness World Record (GWR) for being the world’s tallest woman at 7ft 1in while Ms Amge is the shortest woman at 2ft 1in.
Ms Gelgi told the Standard: “I loved every minute of meeting Amge. I’ve been watching videos of her for ten years and it was an honour to meet.
“My height comes from a rare condition called Weaver syndrome which also brings some physical disabilities. This affects my daily life and I am dependent on my parents who support me all the time. Travelling is not easy, neither is finding shoes or clothes.
“We both have things in common; we both love make-up, self-care, and doing our nails.”
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Weaver syndrome can also cause accelerated growth and skeletal deformities – hers was only the 27th case ever diagnosed, and the first in Turkey.
Ms Amge has a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia.
She said she has faced similar disruption to her life as a result of her height, adding: “I can’t travel alone, and I am dependent on my family.”
But she said that she hoped “people in society will be inspired by us to feel more like themselves.”
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Ms Gelgi said: “We are aiming to inspire people with visible differences to find the courage to show themselves. I want to make people see that being different is okay.”
The pair have been honoured as Guinness World Record icons in the book’s 70th anniversary edition.
They feature alongside other GWR icons including Diana Armstrong, the woman with the longest fingernails, Sultan Kosen, the world’s tallest man, and disabled strongman Dave Walsh in Guinness World Records 2025.
GWR editor-in-chief Craig Glenday said: “Guinness World Records is all about celebrating differences, and by bringing together these two amazing, iconic women, they can share their perspectives on life with each other and also with us.
“The Guinness World Records icons are those record holders who truly embody the spirit of GWR.
“They come from all areas, from science and technology, sports and the arts and media, and are also those dedicated record holders who we see year after year.”
