Mullally to become first female Archbishop of Canterbury

Mullally, a former Chief Nursing Officer for England, entered the priesthood in 2002 and became one of the first women consecrated as a bishop in 2015.

Sarah Mullally will make history on Wednesday when she becomes the first woman to lead the Church of England as Archbishop of Canterbury. The 63-year-old will be enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral before an audience of 2,000 guests, including Prince William, Princess Kate, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Her appointment has stirred controversy among conservative Anglican churches, particularly the Gafcon bloc in Africa and Asia, which opposes women’s ordination and greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ members. The group recently formed a new council in direct challenge to her leadership, underscoring the divisions within the 85-million-strong global Anglican Communion.

The ceremony will blend tradition with international symbolism. Mullally will knock on the cathedral’s west door to seek admission, greeted by children, before prayers and readings in multiple languages and African choruses highlight the church’s global reach. She will take her seat in the Chair of St Augustine, a marble throne dating back to the 13th century.

Mullally, a former Chief Nursing Officer for England, entered the priesthood in 2002 and became one of the first women consecrated as a bishop in 2015. She has invited nurses and carers to attend the service, reflecting her professional background.

Her role as Archbishop is largely symbolic, relying on persuasion rather than authority, unlike the Pope’s position in Catholicism. Mullally inherits a church grappling with declining attendance and efforts to rebuild trust after safeguarding failures that contributed to her predecessor Justin Welby’s resignation.