Catherine Wyatt
BBC religious affairs, in Canterbury

The ceremony can be seen as its own pilgrimage, with the new archbishop moving through the cathedral as the service progresses. Expect to see the following in that time:

• To begin, Mullally will knock on the cathedral’s great west door, and be greeted by local schoolchildren
• The procession will then move to the nave, where Mullally will make her oath on the St John’s Bible
• In the cathedral choir, she will be installed as Archbishop of Canterbury on the "Bishop’s Chair"
• Mullally will then sit on the ancient "Chair of St Augustine", near the shrine of St Thomas Becket, which has been used to install Archbishops for centuries
• Towards the end of the ceremony, Mullally will deliver her first sermon as archbishop, before leaving the cathedral and heading into Canterbury’s buttermarket to bless the city and diocese

We're seeing members of the 2,000-strong congregation arriving at the cathedral.

Clergy men and women from all across the world are attending today's enthronement ceremony, which is now getting under way.

Remember, you can watch the service live at the top of the page.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Church of England

Katie Williams
Reporting from Canterbury

With a couple of minutes to go, all chat in the cathedral has stopped - as has the organ.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have arrived.

A fanfare sounds and everyone stands.

Simon Jones
Reporting from Canterbury

We are battling the elements here at Canterbury Cathedral.

There are hailstones and strong winds. Some people in the procession had their hats blown off.

But the mood remains positive.

Members of the public have gathered outside the cathedral gates, hoping for a glimpse of the new archbishop.

We're a few minutes away from the start of this ceremony, and Canterbury Cathedral is filling up with guests, while crowds are gathered outside.

One attendee, Niles, told the BBC's Yasmin Rufo earlier he had arrived outside the cathedral at 10:00 to secure his spot.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Getty

Katie Williams
Reporting from Canterbury

It’s getting busier inside the cathedral and the organ is playing as people arrive.

Deesha Chadha is co-chair of the Faiths Forum for London. She's worked with Sarah Mullally in the past and is representing the Hindu faith at the ceremony.

Chadha tells me today is a “huge event” and describes Mullally as a “very warm person” who “understands what faith can do”.

David Etherington, chancellor of the Diocese of London, where Mullally used to be bishop, says there is a “strong bond of affection between people who work with Sarah”. He adds that she really cares about people who work in the diocese.

“Whatever the opposite of aloof is, she’s that,” he says.

Image source, PA Media

Dame Sarah Mullally is set to become the first female Archbishop of Canterbury when her installation ceremony begins in about 10 minutes.

You'll be able to watch live as the historic ritual takes place, and you can tune in now to a special BBC programme at the top of the page, with commentary from Paddy O'Connell.

We've got reporters inside Canterbury Cathedral among the throng of 2,000 guests, so we'll bring you their updates and analysis too.

Yasmin Rufo
Reporting from Canterbury

Image source, Yasmin Rufo/BBC

Niles, who lives in Canterbury, is at the front of the barrier leading to the entrance of the grand cathedral. He arrived at 10:00 to secure this spot.

"I’ve popped away a few times to grab a hot drink and an umbrella," he says.

Niles is happy to brave the weather to "be part of this monumental day".

"I knew I’d regret it if I missed out and I’m so glad I came because the atmosphere is great and I’ve met some really nice people while I’ve been waiting."

Catherine Wyatt
BBC religious affairs, in Canterbury

The Church of England is still divided on the issue of same-sex unions - in February its national assembly abandoned proposals to deliver blessing ceremonies for those couples, to the anger and upset of many.

Mullally will also have to deal with criticism from survivor advocates who say that the processes by which the Church deals with safeguarding complaints are inadequate and not sufficiently independent.

And she will have to contend with the fact that some conservative Christians do not believe that she should be in the job at all, due to their belief that women should not be consecrated as bishops.

In England, an arrangement was made so parishes that do not accept female bishops can request a man oversee them.

Elsewhere, it's more complicated. Earlier this month, a group of conservative Anglican churches known as Gafcon unveiled a new leadership council in Nigeria, deepening a rift between them and the Church of England.

Image source, Getty Images

Among attendees at this afternoon's service will be the Prince and Princess of Wales, with Prince William representing the King.

British monarchs serve as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and hold the title Defender of the Faith. They are also responsible for approving the appointment of archbishops, bishops and deans on the recommendation of the prime minister.

Ahead of the ceremony, a royal aide said Prince William was "keen to build a strong and meaningful bond" with the Church.

His "commitment to the Church of England is sometimes quieter than people expect, and for that reason it is not always fully understood", the aide said.

But they added that "those who know him well recognise that his connection to the Church, and to the sense of duty that comes with it, runs deep and is grounded in something personal and sincere".

Katie Williams
Reporting from Canterbury

Image source, Katie Williams/BBC

Gary Jephcote, who works in Canterbury’s visitor information centre, tells me last week's meningitis outbreak has cast a "bit of a shadow" over proceedings - and that it's "a lot quieter" in Canterbury and "a bit more subdued" than usual.

But he also says he's hopeful today's service could help change that: "There’s a bit of quiet anticipation that, because we’re getting a new archbishop, things will get better now."

I ask him whether there's been concern about 2,000 people arriving to attend the service, following the outbreak. "Not really," he says. "We hosted all the bishops here last night [at a drinks reception]… they seemed really excited."

He says Canterbury has seen a "real increase in pilgrimages" in recent times, adding that Mullally’s walk here from London could contribute to this. Seeing the pictures of her arrival “made you feel quite proud”, he says.

• For context: Last week, a meningitis outbreak linked to a Kent nightclub killed two people and led to a total of 29 confirmed or suspected cases. Students at the University of Kent have since been receiving vaccinations against the illness. The UK Health Security Agency has told Canterbury Cathedral that today’s event is safe to go ahead.

Katie Williams
Reporting from Canterbury

A little earlier, I visited The Archbishop’s School which “sits in the shadow of the cathedral”, to quote the headteacher David Elliott. I spoke to staff and some pupils.

Three girls in Year 9 tell me they've written a prayer on a prayer card Sarah Mullally handed out on her six-day pilgrimage from London to Canterbury.

The words of the prayer focus on "what we thought the archbishop would need", one says, adding: "It was to do with shepherding and leading people". They were asked to write the prayer before the identity of the new archbishop was announced.

"It’s a really big thing," says school chaplain Reverend Dawn Watson. "For a chunk of my lifetime, I wouldn’t have been able to be ordained… I think today is a huge, huge day for the Church and also for women in the Church… and for women in general."

I ask the Year 9 students what Mullally was like when they met her. They say she's "amazing", “really humble", "sweet", and that she "considers other people" and spoke lots about her family.

The pupils will be at today’s service - one is doing a reading. "I’m excited and nervous because it’s in front of really important people," she says.

Image source, Katie Williams/BBC

Image source, PA Media

Sarah Mullally is a former chief nurse who spent over 35 years in the NHS before becoming a priest.

While she's made history becoming the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, it's not the first time she's broken the glass ceiling in her career. During her NHS career, she became the youngest-ever chief nursing officer for England in 1999.

Mullally was volunteering in the Church at the time, but it was a few years later that she decided to become a priest and was quickly tasked with helping make reforms in the way the institution dealt with abuse.

In 2012 she became canon treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral before becoming Bishop of Crediton in the diocese of Exeter in 2015.

Six years later, she was appointed the first female Bishop of London - the third most senior member of clergy in the Church of England. In this role, she was seen as someone who used her experience as an NHS administrator to help modernise the diocese.

Mullally, 63, is married and has two children.

Image source, Justin Tallis / AFP via Getty Images

November 2024: Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby steps down following a report into a prolific child abuser associated with the Church of England. It finds Welby "could and should" have reported John Smyth's abuse of boys and young men to police in 2013.

Most of Welby's duties temporarily pass to the Archbishop of York until a permanent successor is appointed.

October 2025: Mullally is named as the new Archbishop of Canterbury designate - the first woman to be chosen for the role.

January 2026: Mullally is legally confirmed in the role in a ceremony at St Paul's Cathedral. For part of the ceremony, the cathedral in effect becomes a courthouse.

17 March 2026: The archbishop sets off on a six-day walking pilgrimage from London to Canterbury with her husband, Eamonn. The route reflects her journey from Bishop of London to Archbishop of Canterbury.

22 March 2026: Mullally arrives in Canterbury, joined by about 100 people as she marches through the city. "It's been a real joy, it's also a joy to know that we're done," she says.

25 March 2026: The enthronement service takes place on the Feast of the Annunciation, marking the start of Mullally's public ministry. The ceremony itself is a symbolic pilgrimage, and will start with Mullally knocking on the great west door, seeking admission.

Katie Williams
Reporting from Canterbury

The cathedral here in the historic city of Canterbury has been a pilgrimage site since the Middle Ages - but today people are flocking here for a different reason.

In a service due to kick off at 15:00 GMT, Sarah Mullally will be installed as the Archbishop of Canterbury - the most senior member of clergy in the Church of England. The former NHS chief nurse is the 106th person to take on the role, but the very first woman.

That comes with challenges. Only 11 years have passed since the Church appointed its first female bishop, and 32 years since the first women were ordained as priests. Mullally has previously said she will speak out on misogyny where she sees it.

In a service expected to be attended by 2,000 people - including the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the prime minister - Mullally will be "enthroned" in two chairs that represent her roles as both a diocesan bishop and the highest-ranking bishop in the Church. We'll also see her make a symbolic pilgrimage through the cathedral.

Before all that kicks off, though, myself and colleagues back in the London newsroom have got a wealth of content to bring you - including how people in Canterbury are feeling about today and some of the challenges Mullally faces. Stay with us.

Image source, Katie Williams/BBC