Sarah Mullally installed as Archbishop of Canterbury

Dame Sarah Mullally has been installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The ceremony took place at Canterbury Cathedral on 28 January.

A historic moment

Women have been able to become priests in the Church of England since 1994, and bishops since 2014. Mullally's appointment to the most senior post in the Church is seen as a landmark for the Church and for women in public life.

She succeeds Justin Welby, who announced his resignation in November 2024 after a review found failings in the Church's handling of abuse by the barrister John Smyth.

From nursing to the Church

Mullally, 63, was born in Woking, Surrey. She trained as a nurse at St Thomas' Hospital in London and worked in clinical and leadership roles in the NHS, including at the Royal Marsden Hospital.

In 1999 she became Chief Nursing Officer for England, the youngest person to hold the post. She was made a Dame in 2005 for her services to nursing and midwifery.

She was ordained as a priest in 2002 and left the NHS in 2004 to become a full-time minister. She served in south London before becoming a canon at Salisbury Cathedral, then Bishop of Crediton in Devon in 2015. In 2018, she became the first woman to be Bishop of London.

The role

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop of the Church of England and the spiritual head of around 85 million Anglicans around the world. The archbishop also sits in the House of Lords and plays a part in national ceremonies, including coronations.

Challenges ahead

Mullally takes over at a difficult time for the Church. It has been criticised over its handling of safeguarding and abuse cases, and she has promised to make the Church a safer place.

The Church also faces falling attendance in many areas, pressure on its finances and deep divisions over issues including same-sex relationships. Some Anglican churches in other countries, particularly in Africa, have said they cannot accept a woman as their spiritual leader.

Supporters say her experience of running large organisations in the NHS will help her lead the Church through a period of change.

Birmingham

The Diocese of Birmingham, based at St Philip's Cathedral, is one of the 42 dioceses of the Church of England, and comes under the Province of Canterbury, which the archbishop leads.