First Woman Installed as Archbishop of Canterbury in Church of England's 1,400-Year History

Dame Sarah Mullally was formally installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury on March 25, 2026, at Canterbury Cathedral, marking a historic milestone as the first woman to hold this office in the Church of England's 1,400-year history. The 90-minute installation ceremony was attended by British royals Prince William and Princess Catherine, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and leaders from across the global Anglican Communion.

Mullally, 63, a former nurse and previous Bishop of London, began her journey to Canterbury with a six-day walking pilgrimage from St. Paul's Cathedral in London, covering approximately 140 kilometers along the Becket Camino route. The ceremony began with the customary three knocks on the cathedral's west door, which was opened by local schoolchildren.

Upon entering, Mullally declared: 'I am Sarah, a servant of Jesus Christ, and I come as one seeking the grace of God, to travel with you in his service together.' The installation coincided with the Feast of the Annunciation, and Mullally's sermon centered on Mary's acceptance of God's call as a model for her own ministry.

The ceremony included prayers and readings in multiple languages including Spanish, Swahili, and Urdu, reflecting the global reach of the Anglican Communion. Mullally wore a golden mitre and a cope secured by a clasp modeled on her National Health Service nurse belt, a nod to her medical career.

As Archbishop of Canterbury, Mullally leads the Church of England and serves as a focus of unity for the 42 autonomous provinces of the Anglican Communion across more than 165 countries. She has emphasized unity in diversity, stating: 'We are a family with a shared root, and with any global church, there is great diversity in it.' Her appointment has been both celebrated and, in some quarters, opposed by conservative factions within the Anglican Communion.