The Church of England has appointed Dame Sarah Elisabeth Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, marking the first time in over 1,400 years of Anglican Communion history that a woman will hold the position.
Mullally, who has served as Bishop of London since 2018, becomes the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury following the recommendation of the Crown Nominations Commission and confirmation by the monarch.
Born in Woking, Surrey, in 1962, she initially trained as a nurse and rose through the ranks to become England’s Chief Nursing Officer before entering the priesthood. She was ordained in 2001, consecrated as a bishop in 2015, and appointed Bishop of London in December 2017. Since 2019, she has also held the role of Dean of the Chapel Royal.
Her appointment comes during a turbulent period for the Church, still grappling with leadership crises and abuse scandals linked to the tenure of Archbishop Justin Welby, who resigned amid criticism over his handling of safeguarding failures.
Mullally has been vocal about the need for reform, committing to strengthening safeguarding measures and rebuilding public trust in the Church. She is also recognized for her measured approach to contentious issues, including the role of women in ministry and debates over sexuality, which remain divisive across the global Anglican community.