LONDON: For the first time in its 1,400-year history, the Church of England has appointed a woman as archbishop.

According to an international media report, Dame Sarah Mullally has become the first female Archbishop of the Church of England. She is the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior position in the Church.

No woman had previously been eligible for this role until 2014, when the Church of England allowed women to be ordained as bishops. The 63-year-old Sarah Mullally has served as the Bishop of London for the past seven years.

The Archbishop’s office of the Church of England was empty for almost a year. Former Archbishop Justin Welby left office on a sex scandal.

Sarah Mullally was a nurse earlier and served as the chief nursing officer of England in the early 2000s.

In 2002, she became a priest, while the British House was also part of the upper house.