​Who will be the next leader of the Church of England?

The position of Archbishop of Canterbury has been vacant since January 2025. Who will be the person to guide the Church of England through what has been a volatile era of polarisation, safeguarding scandals, yet spiritual awakening amongst the youth and renewal in the UK. Here are seven prospective candidates

The position of Archbishop of Canterbury has remained vacant since Justin Welby formally resigned on January 7 2025, following the completion of his final official duties on January 6. Although still in its early stages, the process for finding his successor has already spanned several months — and is expected to take many more before a final decision is reached.

The Crown Nominations Commission, which consists of 17 members and must agree with a two-thirds majority, will short list and interview candidates before eventually making a recommendation to the prime minister. The PM then forwards the name to King Charles III, the supreme governor of the Church of England, who formally makes the appointment.

Predicting the next archbishop is notoriously difficult – Welby himself was a famously left-field choice. However, a number of names have been placed in the frame, including several female bishops. If appointed, they would make history by becoming the first ever woman to become Archbishop of Canterbury.