CANTERBURY, England -The Church of England has appointed Bishop Sarah Mullally as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, making her the first woman in history to lead the 1,400-year-old office at the heart of the Anglican Communion.
Downing Street confirmed on Friday that His Majesty the King had approved her nomination. Mullally, currently Bishop of London, will succeed Justin Welby as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior bishop in the Church of England and spiritual leader to some 85 million Anglicans across 165 countries. She will be installed at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026.
Her appointment has been hailed as historic by church leaders in England. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said Mullally would bring “kind, godly and stable leadership” at a time of significant challenges. “She is a person of huge courage, wisdom, integrity, and experience,” he said.
Mullally, 62, began her career as a cancer nurse before rising to become the Government’s Chief Nursing Officer for England at the age of 37, the youngest to hold the post. She was ordained in 2001 and became the first female Bishop of London in 2018. Speaking at Canterbury Cathedral on Friday, she said she approached her new role “with a sense of peace and trust in God to carry me as He always has.”
“I want, very simply, to encourage the Church to continue to grow in confidence in the Gospel, to speak of the love that we find in Jesus Christ and for it to shape our actions,” she told the congregation.
The nomination followed months of consultation and discernment by the Crown Nominations Commission, which included representatives from across the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion.
But the announcement has also revived tensions within the global Anglican family. Conservative Anglican churches, particularly in Africa, reiterated their opposition to women bishops and expressed unease at Mullally’s elevation. The rift underscores ongoing divisions within the Communion over theology, leadership, and social teaching.
Supporters, however, urged unity. Bishop Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, called on member churches to pray for Mullally, saying: “May God grant her wisdom and discernment, as she seeks to listen to Member churches, encourage mutual support, and foster unity.”
Mullally will formally assume office following her Confirmation of Election at St Paul’s Cathedral in January 2026, ahead of her installation at Canterbury. Until then, she will continue serving as Bishop of London.
Born in Woking in 1962, Mullally is married to Eamonn and has two grown-up children. Reflecting on her journey from the NHS to the church’s highest office, she said both vocations had been rooted in the same call: “to reflect the love of God.”