Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London, has been appointed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, making history as the first woman to lead the Church of England in its 1,400-year history and the spiritual head of 85 million Anglicans worldwide.
Mullally, 63, has served as Bishop of London since 2018, the Church’s third-highest office after Canterbury and York. Before her ordination, she worked as a nurse in London hospitals and later rose to become England’s Chief Nursing Officer.
“As I respond to the call of Christ to this new ministry, I do so in the same spirit of service to God and to others that has motivated me since I first came to faith as a teenager,” she said. “Through my nursing career and Christian ministry, I have learned to listen deeply – to people and to God’s gentle prompting – to seek to bring people together to find hope and healing.”
Mullally has played a prominent role in church reforms, leading debates on marriage and sexuality, supporting blessings for same-sex couples, and steering the London diocese through the Covid-19 pandemic. Her appointment was made possible by reforms introduced a decade ago under former Archbishop Justin Welby, which opened the episcopacy to women.
The leadership vacancy arose after Welby’s resignation in November 2024 over his handling of the John Smyth abuse scandal, which a damning report revealed the Church “knew, at the highest level” by 2013. Historian Diarmaid MacCulloch described Welby’s departure as “historic and without exact precedent” in the role’s 1,427-year history.
Mullally’s selection was overseen by the Crown Nominations Commission, chaired by former MI5 chief Jonathan Evans, approved by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and formally confirmed by King Charles III.
As Archbishop of Canterbury, she will not only become the most senior cleric in the Church of England but also a central national figure, presiding over major royal ceremonies such as coronations.
Her appointment comes at a time when the Church faces declining attendance, financial strains, and a struggle to connect with younger generations. She will officially be installed at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026, becoming the 106th Archbishop since Saint Augustine’s mission to England in 597.
Evans, announcing her appointment, said the commission sought “somebody who can give genuine spiritual leadership and direction to the church” and “speak authoritatively and graciously with a Christian voice into the affairs of the nation.”
Mullally now takes on the challenge of restoring trust and guiding the Anglican Communion through a period of deep change.
