Nurse-turned-priest becomes the Church of England's first female archbishop

Sarah Mullally, a former cancer nurse who trained as a priest at 40, was installed as Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the Church of England’s first woman leader. The ceremony on the Feast of the Annunciation marks the start of her public ministry as head of the church and its global Anglican Communion, with attendees including Prince William, Princess Catherine and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Mullally faces a challenging tenure amid ongoing debates over women’s and LGBTQ+ roles and past abuse scandals, taking over after Justin Welby’s 2024 resignation. She honors her nursing past by wearing a ceremonial cloak whose buckle comes from the belt she wore as a nurse, and she says her aim is to shepherd and enable every ministry to flourish.