History is made as Sarah Mullally shatters centuries of tradition to become the Church of England’s first female Archbishop.

• Sarah Mullally is the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.

• She leads 85 million Anglicans worldwide.

• The ex-nurse supports openness in the Church.

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• King Charles approved her after Welby’s exit.

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The United Kingdom on Friday selected Sarah Mullally as the new head of the Church of England — marking the first occasion in 1,400 years that the position has gone to a woman.

Her appointment also places her as the symbolic leader of around 85 million Anglicans across the globe, a move that could intensify long-standing disagreements with more traditional sections of the church, especially in parts of Africa.

Changes made over a decade ago opened the path for women to hold this post. With her selection as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, Mullally breaks ground as the first woman to lead one of the few remaining male-dominated institutions in Britain.

For many Anglicans worldwide — nearly two-thirds of whom are based in nations such as Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda — the naming of the first woman as Archbishop may deepen the contrast between their churches and the one in England.

At 63, Mullally brings a background in healthcare, having previously served as the country’s Chief Nursing Officer in the early 2000s. She has long promoted openness within church communities, encouraging honest dialogue and acceptance of differing views.

“There’s a strong link between nursing and ministry. Both focus on people — being present with them in their hardest moments,” she once remarked in an interview.

In line with the Church of England’s position as the nation’s official church, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office released the announcement after receiving formal approval from King Charles.

The monarch serves as the Church’s supreme governor — a position created in the 1500s after King Henry VIII separated from the Roman Catholic Church.

The post of Archbishop had remained vacant since November, following Justin Welby’s resignation amid a scandal involving the concealment of child abuse cases.

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