Dame Sarah Mullally to become first ever female Archbishop of Canterbury

Former chief nursing officer Dame Sarah Mullally has been named as Archbishop of Canterbury, making her the first woman to be appointed to the role in the Church of England’s history.

Dame Sarah, who is expected to make a statement at Canterbury Cathedral later on Friday, succeeds Reverend Justin Welby, who announced he would be stepping down over safeguarding failings almost a year ago.

Her appointment makes her the most senior bishop of the Church of England and the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Dame Sarah, 63, became the Bishop of London in 2018 having previously been appointed Bishop of Crediton in Devon in 2015, the year after the church began allowing women to be ordained as bishops.

She was the fourth woman to be ordained as a bishop in the Church’s history.

She also sits in the House of Lords, having been sworn in as a member of the Privy Council in March 2018.

The former nurse was the youngest person to be appointed chief nursing officer for England in 1999.

Mullally, who is married with two children, was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2005 for her contribution to nursing and midwifery.

The previous Archbishop of Canterbury resigned in November 2024 before officially stepping down in January this year.

Sarah Mullally (centre) during her installation as the new Bishop of London during a service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. / Credit: PA

Reverend Welby’s departure came following the publication of the Makin Review which revealed he did not adequately follow up on reports about serial abuser John Smyth, who was heavily involved with the Church of England.

The report concluded that Smyth, thought to be the most prolific abuser associated with the Church, might have been brought to justice had Reverend Welby formally reported allegations to police in 2013.