Archbishop of Canterbury

The archbishop of Canterbury is the most important leader in the Church of England. This person is a bishop and also the main leader, or primate, of the Church of England. The archbishop is also one of 26 bishops who help make decisions in the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Most importantly, the archbishop is the special leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The first archbishop was Augustine of Canterbury, who came to England in the year 597. Over time, the role changed, especially during a big change called the English Reformation when Henry VIII made himself the leader of the Church of England instead of the Pope. Since then, the archbishop has helped shape what the Church of England believes and teaches today.

Today, the archbishop is chosen by the British monarch, but people help pick who it will be. The 106th archbishop is Dame Sarah Mullally, who became the first woman to hold this important job in 2026. She is the diocesan bishop of the diocese of Canterbury and the leader for the province of Canterbury.

Present roles and status

The archbishop of Canterbury has four main roles. First, they are the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury, covering the eastern part of Kent. This is the oldest area for church leadership in England. Second, they are the top religious leader for the southern two-thirds of England, called the province of Canterbury.

Third, they are the main religious leader of the Church of England. Along with the archbishop of York, they lead important church meetings and ceremonies, such as coronations. Because they are well known, their views are often asked about by news reporters. Fourth, they are a key spiritual leader for Anglicans all around the world, even though they do not have legal power outside England. They bring together leaders from different countries about every ten years at meetings called the Lambeth Conferences.

The archbishop lives mainly at Lambeth Palace in London and also has a home near Canterbury Cathedral. As one of the important leaders in England, they are one of the Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords. The archbishop is chosen by the British monarch. The current archbishop is the 105th person to hold this job. The previous archbishop, Justin Welby, served until January 2025.

Additional roles

The archbishop also holds many other positions. They help lead groups that bring different religions together and support many schools and charities. They are involved with universities, schools, and organizations across the United Kingdom.

Ecumenical and interfaith

The archbishop works with leaders from different religions. They have met with popes and other religious leaders to promote peace and understanding among Christians, Jews, and Muslims. They support efforts for peace in the Middle East and encourage dialogue among people of different faiths.

Origins

Long ago, the land we now call Britain may have had four important church leaders, or archbishops, in places such as London, York, Lincoln, and Cirencester. But in the 5th and 6th centuries, new groups of people called the Anglo-Saxons arrived and changed things. One of the kingdoms they created was Kent, which had strong ties with Europe.

In the late 6th century, a man named Saint Augustine of Canterbury arrived in Kent. He had been sent by a leader in the Christian church to share his beliefs with the people there. He was welcomed by the king, who decided to follow Christianity around the year 598. Since then, the leaders of the church in Canterbury have been called archbishops of Canterbury. A special book connected to Saint Augustine is still kept in a library in Cambridge and is used when new archbishops are officially welcomed.

Province and Diocese of Canterbury

The archbishop of Canterbury has a special role in overseeing the Province of Canterbury. This includes thirty out of the forty-two areas, or dioceses, of the Church of England. Before 1920, four dioceses in Wales were also part of this group, but they later became their own church.

The archbishop has a special group of important bishops who help with duties. For example, the bishop of London leads this group, while other bishops have different roles like helping with decisions or ceremonies.

The archbishop is seen as an important leader among all bishops in the Anglican Communion, which is a worldwide family of churches. However, they do not control other countries' churches directly, except in a few special cases. They also have special responsibilities for some churches outside of England and for the area around the bishop of the Falkland Islands.

Currently, the archbishop works closely with four helper bishops:

• The bishop of Dover helps manage the Diocese of Canterbury when the archbishop is busy with other duties.
• The bishop of Ebbsfleet and the bishop of Richborough help certain groups of churches that have different beliefs about whether women can be leaders in the church.
• The bishop of Maidstone supports members who hold specific traditional beliefs.

Styles and privileges

The archbishops of Canterbury and York are both called "The Most Reverend." When they retire, they are called "The Right Reverend." The archbishop of Canterbury is usually part of a special group called the Privy Council and can use the title "The Right Honourable" for life.

In formal documents, the archbishop is called "The Most Reverend [Forenames], by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan." In discussions in the House of Lords, they are called "The Most Reverend Primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury." They can also be addressed as "Your Grace" or simply "Archbishop."

The archbishop does not always use their last name in official papers. They are allowed to sign their name as "Cantuar," which is the Latin word for Canterbury. Only certain important people, like bishops, can use a title as a legal signature.

In the order of important people in England and Wales, the archbishop of Canterbury is just below the king or queen and the royal family, with the lord chancellor next in line.

The archbishop of Canterbury can give out special academic awards known as Lambeth degrees.

Residences

The archbishop of Canterbury lives and works at Lambeth Palace in London. They also have an apartment at the Old Palace, which is next to the Canterbury Cathedral. This building has parts that are very old, from the 1200s.

In the past, archbishops had other homes too. These include Croydon Palace, used as a summer home from the 1400s to the 1700s, and Addington Palace, bought in 1807 and sold in 1897. Other old homes were taken over by the government at different times.

List of recent archbishops

Main article: List of archbishops of Canterbury

See also: Assistant Bishop of Canterbury

Since 1900, the following people have served as archbishop of Canterbury:

• 1896–1902: Frederick Temple
• 1903–1928: Randall Davidson
• 1928–1942: Cosmo Gordon Lang
• 1942–1944: William Temple
• 1945–1961: Geoffrey Fisher
• 1961–1974: Michael Ramsey
• 1974–1980: Donald Coggan
• 1980–1991: Robert Runcie
• 1991–2002: George Carey
• 2002–2012: Rowan Williams
• 2013–2025: Justin Welby
• 2026–present: Sarah Mullally

Archbishops who became peers

From 1660 to 1902, all archbishops of Canterbury passed away while still in their roles. In 1928, Randall Davidson became the first to step down from his position before passing away. Since then, all his successors except William Temple, who passed away in office in 1944, have also stepped down before passing away.

Until 2013, every archbishop who retired was given a special title that let them keep their place in the House of Lords. These titles were given for life after a law called the Life Peerages Act 1958 was made. Justin Welby stepped down in January 2025 but has not yet received such a title.