Sarah Mullally becomes first woman to lead the Church of England

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Updated: 26/03/2026 - 8:49 GMT+1
Sarah Mullally was installed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury on 25 March 2026, marking a historic shift for the Church of England in its 1,400-year history amid ongoing internal divisions.

The former cancer nurse who legally became Archbishop of Canterbury in January began her public ministry at a ceremony attended by Prince William, Princess Catherine, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Held on the Feast of the Annunciation, the service emphasized both continuity and change for the Church, whose leader also serves as a symbolic figure for the worldwide Anglican Communion of about 85 to 100 million members.

Mullally, 63, assumes office at a challenging time
The Church of England remains divided over women’s leadership, sexuality, and safeguarding failures, while some conservative Anglican groups have openly questioned Canterbury’s authority.

Born in Woking in 1962, she became England’s youngest Chief Nursing Officer at 37 before training for ministry and later being appointed Bishop of London in 2018
Her installation also reflected the Church’s global scope, with multilingual prayers and representatives from across the Anglican world.

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