Sarah Mullally was officially confirmed on Wednesday (January 28) as the first woman to lead the Church of England as Archbishop of Canterbury at a traditional ceremony at St Paul's Cathedral in London.

The vast cathedral was converted into a court of law for the ancient Confirmation of Election, a legal ceremony set within a church service marking the moment an archbishop-elect legally assumes office.

Mullally , who will also serve as the spiritual head of 85 million Christians across 165 countries in the global Anglican Communion, took an oath of allegiance as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury before senior bishops acting as Royal Commissioners under the authority of King Charles.

At one point the ceremony was interrupted by a heckler.

The British monarch has served as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England since Henry VIII split from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century.

The service showcased the breadth of the Church, bringing together bishops and clergy alongside local schoolchildren and choirs, with participants from across the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.

Once England's Chief Nursing Officer, Mullally was first named in October to replace Justin Welby as the Church's most senior bishop. Her appointment drew immediate criticism from some conservatives in the global network of Anglicans who oppose women's ordination and remain divided over LGBTQ+ relationships.

The 63-year-old, who also faces questions at home over past safeguarding failures in the Church, will be enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral in March when she will also preach her first sermon as Archbishop, marking the start of her public ministry.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JANUARY 28, 2026) (UK POOL - Broadcast: No use UK. Digital: No use UK, except UK newspapers)

1. ARCHBISHOPS PROCEEDING INTO ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

2. ARCHBISHOP-ELECT SARAH MULLALLY STANDING, CHURCH OFFICIAL SAYING (English): "I respectfully ask that this court shall witness the formal consent of the Archbishop-elect. " / ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, STEPHEN COTTRELL, SAYING (English): "You may proceed."/

3. CHURCH SERVICE IN PROGRESS

4. ARCHBISHOPS PROCEEDING DURING SERVICE

5. CHURCH SERVICE IN PROGRESS

6. TOP SHOT OF ARCHBISHOP-ELECT SARAH MULLALLY STANDING IN FRONT OF ARCHBISHOPS

7. ARCHBISHOP-ELECT SARAH MULLALLY STANDING IN FRONT OF ARCHBISHOPS/ (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, STEPHEN COTTRELL, SAYING : "My dear sister in Christ. It has pleased God to call you to be the shepherd and chief pastor of the Diocese of Canterbury and Archbishop of the Province. Will you then be a faithful witness to Christ, to those among whom you live, and lead your people to obey our Saviour's command, to make disciples of all nations?"/ARCHBISHOP-ELECT, SARAH MULLALLY, SAYING (English): "By the help of God, I will."

8. MULLALLY SEATED

9. MULLALLY SEATED IN FRONT OF ARCHBISHOPS

10. MULLALLY SEATED IN FRONT OF ARCHBISHOPS/ OFFICIAL SPEAKING/ AUDIO OF HECKLER

11. MULLALLY

12. SECURITY PERSONNEL STANDING AROUND PERSON IN AUDIENCE

13. ARCHBISHOPS AND ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY SARAH MULLALLY SITTING DOWN/OFFICIAL SAYING (English): "The Lord Archbishop, now elected and confirmed and myself, pray that a public instrument and letters testimonial shall be made and issued by the commissioners as a record of these proceedings."/ARCHBISHOP OF YORK STEPHEN COTTRELL SAYING (English): "We do decreed as prayed." / ARCHBISHOPS STANDING AND APPLAUDING

14. CONGREGATION APPLAUDING

15. ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY SARAH MULLALLY STANDING AS CONGREGATION APPLAUDS

16. MULLALLY/AUDIO OF CHURCH OFFICIAL SAYING (English): "Archbishop Sarah, we welcome you!"/ ARCHBISHOPS SAYING (English): "We welcome you!"

17. ARCHBISHOPS APPLAUDING

18. MULLALLY EMBRACING A CHURCH OFFICIAL

19. ARCHBISHOPS PROCEEDING

20. SERVICE IN PROGRESS