Will and Kate’s subtle statement about their reign…during Archbishop of Canterbury’s enthronement 👀
Today, Prince William and Catherine attended the installation of Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. She is the first woman appointed to the role in the office's more than 1,400-year history, with today's ceremony marking a “new chapter” in the Church of England ✝️
As heir to the throne, William's attendance was a matter of protocol. But King Charles was out today, too—at Windsor for an investiture. The decision to keep the protocol of the enthronement “as-is,” with William and Catherine carrying the Canterbury appearance, feels like a choice for a monarch so insistent on his role as a faith leader AND as someone willing to make changes for the sake of the monarchy’s relevance.
Catherine wore a tailored coat in the iconic Prince of Wales check from Suzannah London, underscoring that she and William weren't attending as private, devout Christians or generic royal representatives. They were there in their specific constitutional roles: the future Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and his Princess of Wales.
Today’s event follows reporting last weekend on William's "quiet faith.” ☕️ 👑 The framing is causing eye rolls in some corners, but also positions him as a future head of the Church who will approach the role differently. Mullally herself is a historically unconventional appointment; she’s a former NHS Chief Nursing Officer who was ordained at 40 and became the first woman to serve as Bishop of London before ascending to Canterbury.
Will and Kate being linked specifically to HER appointment—when they were pretty apathetic to religious matters under Archbishop Justin Welby—is worth noting. Mullally’s appointment signals a new chapter for the Church of England at the same time that William and Kate are increasingly being positioned as the monarchy’s next phase…so the alignment (and the royal fashion) here all feels very intentional.
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