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Summary
Dame Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London, has been appointed the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. She makes history as the first woman to lead the Church of England and its 85 million-strong global Anglican Communion.
Dame Sarah Mullally has been appointed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to hold the most senior clerical position in the Church of England’s history.
The 63-year-old, who has served as Bishop of London since 2018, was approved by King Charles to succeed Justin Welby, who resigned in November last year following a safeguarding scandal. He stepped down amid mounting criticism for his failure to act on abuse reports involving Church associate John Smyth.
Her appointment makes her the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to lead the global Anglican Communion, which numbers around 85 million members across 165 countries.
A former NHS Chief Nursing Officer, Dame Sarah was ordained in 2001 and became the first female Bishop of London in 2018, which is the third most senior role in the Church. Before entering ministry, she was the youngest person to be appointed as England’s Chief Nursing Officer at age 37.
Her selection follows months of deliberation by the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), which undertook a process of public consultation and prayerful discernment beginning in February. The CNC included representatives from the Church of England, the Anglican Communion, and the Diocese of Canterbury.
Dame Sarah will formally become Archbishop of Canterbury after her Confirmation of Election at St Paul’s Cathedral on 28 January 2026, followed by her installation service at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026, marking the official start of her ministry.
As Archbishop, she will serve as Primate of All England, Metropolitan, and first among equals (primus inter pares) among the Primates of the Anglican Communion, as well as one of the 26 Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords.
