Sarah Mullaly Installed as First Female Archbishop of Canterbury

Sarah Mullaly was appointed the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury on March 25, 2026, according to one report, making her the first woman to hold the office. Another report describes her installation at Canterbury Cathedral, a service historically known as enthronement, which marked the symbolic start of her public ministry as Archbishop. That report does not give the date of the service.

About 2,000 guests attended, including the Prince and Princess of Wales. In her first sermon, Mullaly emphasized holding victims and survivors close to her heart and prayers, and she said she remained committed to truth, compassion, justice and action. She also prayed for those suffering in the Middle East. Keeping victims and survivors at the center of her first address reflects a concern for those who have been harmed (Proverbs 31:8-9).

Her installation follows a period of upheaval at the top of the church. Her predecessor, Justin Welby, resigned in 2024 amid accusations about how he handled a serious abuse case. The reports describe these as accusations about his handling of the case, and they do not set out findings against him.

The office Mullaly now holds has been held only by men. All 105 previous Archbishops of Canterbury were men, beginning with St Augustine in 597 AD. The Archbishop of Canterbury oversees the entire Church of England and holds authority over all other bishops.

The change has a shorter history in the Church of England. The church first allowed women to be ordained as priests in 1994, 32 years before her installation. Libby Lane was appointed as the first female bishop in 2014. The General Synod spent a decade deliberating before approving the ordination of women as bishops.

The decision to ordain women as bishops was controversial. One report states that approximately 600 people in Britain, including 20 priests, left the Church of England to join the Roman Catholic Church in opposition to women bishops.