Mullally prepares to be enthroned as Church of England's first female leader [View all]

Source: Reuters

March 23, 2026 5:50 AM EDT Updated 11 hours ago


LONDON, March 23 (Reuters) - When Sarah Mullally is enthroned as the Church of England's first ​female Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, she will inherit a task that has eluded her predecessors: ‌uniting a divided 85-million-strong global Anglican Communion.

Mullally, 63, will be installed at Canterbury Cathedral before an audience of 2,000 guests, including heir-to-the-throne Prince William, his wife Kate, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Her appointment in October drew sharp criticism from a conservative grouping of Anglican churches in mostly ​African and Asian countries called Gafcon, which this month established a new council in a direct challenge to ​her leadership.

The bloc, which had rejected Mullally's predecessor Justin Welby's leadership over same-sex blessings, opposes the ordination ⁠of women - approved in the Church of England for more than three decades - and greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ members.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/mullally-prepares-be-enthroned-church-englands-first-female-leader-2026-03-23/