By Deborah Nnamdi
Sarah Mullally has been appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman in 1,400 years to lead the Church of England.
Mullally, 63, who has served as Bishop of London since 2018, will also assume the ceremonial role of head of the Anglican Communion, representing about 85 million worshippers worldwide. She will be formally installed at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026.
Her appointment has drawn mixed reactions. The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), a coalition of conservative Anglican churches in Africa and Asia, criticised the decision, arguing that it showed the Church of England had surrendered its authority. Mullally has long supported liberal reforms, including blessings for same-sex couples.
Speaking after her appointment, she pledged to work toward unity. “I want, very simply, to encourage the Church to continue to grow in confidence,” she said. “I look forward to sharing this journey of faith with people across the country and the global Anglican Communion.”
A former cancer nurse and England’s Chief Nursing Officer in the early 2000s, Mullally was ordained in 2002 and became one of the first female bishops in 2015. She is also a member of the House of Lords, where she has spoken on issues such as social justice, healthcare, and the cost-of-living crisis.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated Mullally, saying he looked forward to working with her, while the appointment was made with the formal consent of King Charles, the Church’s Supreme Governor.
Mullally succeeds Justin Welby, who resigned last year amid a child abuse cover-up scandal. She is married with two adult children.
