Dame Sarah Mullally has been appointed the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion.
The former Chief Nursing Officer for England, ordained in 2001, will formally take office in January 2026 at a legal ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral, followed by her enthronement service.
She succeeds Justin Welby, who resigned last year amid criticism over his handling of the Church’s major child abuse scandal.
Accepting the role, Dame Sarah said she felt the “huge responsibility” of leading the Church but expressed a “sense of peace and trust in God” to guide her. “At every stage of my journey, through nursing and ministry, I have learned to listen deeply — to people and to God’s gentle prompting — to bring hope and healing,” she said.
Dame Sarah takes office amid challenges including safeguarding issues, divisions over same-sex marriage, and declining church attendance. She has described the Church’s approval of same-sex blessings as “a moment of hope” while acknowledging the divisions remain.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed her appointment, calling her “a safe pair of hands” and praising the Church’s role in national life. Bishop Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, urged Anglicans worldwide to pray for her as she prepares to take up the post.
Dame Sarah, who was made a Dame in 2005 for her contribution to nursing, also sits in the House of Lords, where she has opposed assisted dying legislation, saying it “fails in its central plank, that it delivers choice.”
She will now be the spiritual leader of the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion, playing a central unifying role for Anglicans across the globe.
