Letters Patent - Royal Assent to the Election of the Archbishop of Canterbury [2026-01-09]
Dublin Core
Title
Letters Patent - Royal Assent to the Election of the Archbishop of Canterbury [2026-01-09]
Subject
Archbishops and Bishops
Description
Letters Patent of King Charles III assenting to the election of Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury.
Creator
King Charles III
Source
FOI request
Date
2026-01-09
Contributor
T. Onslow
Coverage
Diocese of Canterbury
Letters Patent Item Type Metadata
Transcript
Charles..........................................................................................................................Faith
To the Most Reverend Our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor Stephen Geoffrey by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of York Primate of England and Metropolitan the Right Reverends Our right trusty and well beloved Philip Ian by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Winchester Stephen David by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Salisbury Hugh Edmund by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Worcester Jonathan Robert by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Rochester Stephen David by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Lincoln Elizabeth Jane Holden by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Derby Deborah Mary by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Peterborough or to any four or more of you Greeting Whereas the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury being vacant by the resignation of the Right Reverend Our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor Justin Portal Welby Knight Grand Cross of Our Royal Victorian Order Master of Arts lately Archbishop thereof Upon the humble Petition of the College of Canons of Our Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ Canterbury We have by Our Letters Patent granted them Our leave and licence to choose another Archbishop and Pastor And the said College of Canons by virtue of Our said leave and licence have chosen for themselves and the said Church the Right Reverend Our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor Sarah Elisabeth by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of London Dame Commander of Our Most Excellent Order of the British Empire to be their Archbishop and Pastor as by their Letters sealed with their Seal directed to Us thereupon does more fully appear We accepting of such Election have given Our Royal Assent thereto and this We signify unto you by these Presents Requiring and Commanding you by the faith and allegiance by which you stand bound to Us that you or any four or more of you do confirm the aforesaid Election and that you do perform and execute with diligence favour and effect all and singular other things which belong to your Pastoral Office according to the Laws and Statutes of England in this behalf made and provided In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Ourself at Westminster the ninth day of January in the fourth year of Our Reign
To the Most Reverend Our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor Stephen Geoffrey by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of York Primate of England and Metropolitan the Right Reverends Our right trusty and well beloved Philip Ian by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Winchester Stephen David by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Salisbury Hugh Edmund by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Worcester Jonathan Robert by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Rochester Stephen David by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Lincoln Elizabeth Jane Holden by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Derby Deborah Mary by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Peterborough or to any four or more of you Greeting Whereas the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury being vacant by the resignation of the Right Reverend Our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor Justin Portal Welby Knight Grand Cross of Our Royal Victorian Order Master of Arts lately Archbishop thereof Upon the humble Petition of the College of Canons of Our Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ Canterbury We have by Our Letters Patent granted them Our leave and licence to choose another Archbishop and Pastor And the said College of Canons by virtue of Our said leave and licence have chosen for themselves and the said Church the Right Reverend Our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor Sarah Elisabeth by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of London Dame Commander of Our Most Excellent Order of the British Empire to be their Archbishop and Pastor as by their Letters sealed with their Seal directed to Us thereupon does more fully appear We accepting of such Election have given Our Royal Assent thereto and this We signify unto you by these Presents Requiring and Commanding you by the faith and allegiance by which you stand bound to Us that you or any four or more of you do confirm the aforesaid Election and that you do perform and execute with diligence favour and effect all and singular other things which belong to your Pastoral Office according to the Laws and Statutes of England in this behalf made and provided In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Ourself at Westminster the ninth day of January in the fourth year of Our Reign
BY WARRANT UNDER THE KING'S SIGN MANUAL
FARRAR
Warranty
Sign Manual Warrant
Ornamentation
Printed in Times New Roman. Royal style and titles are heavily abbreviated.
Name of the College of Canons, Archbishop-Elect, and "Archbishop and Pastor" are in boldface.
Name of the College of Canons, Archbishop-Elect, and "Archbishop and Pastor" are in boldface.
Files
Citation
King Charles III, “Letters Patent - Royal Assent to the Election of the Archbishop of Canterbury [2026-01-09],” Corpus of British Administrative Instruments, accessed October 20, 2026, https://cbaionline.org/corpus/items/show/586.