‘With the most gracious permission of His Majesty The King’: the Archbishop of Canterbury resigns

The Archbishop of Canterbury has resigned – after asking The King’s permission to step aside.

The Most Reverend Justin Welby has stepped aside after pressure from clergy over his handling of child abuse allegations.

The Bishop of Newcastle was the most senior church voice to call for his resignation after the Makin report into the actions of Church of England lay reader John Smyth. The report found that Justin Welby did not pass on information he had about Smyth. It concluded that had Justin Welby contacted authorities, Smyth’s abuse could have been exposed earlier.

In his statement, Justin Welby says ‘‘Having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King, I have decided to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury. The Makin Review has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth. When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow. It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024.”

No date has been set for Justin Welby to give up his offices as Archbishop of Canterbury. He said, in his statement, that ”It is my duty to honour my Constitutional and church responsibilities, so exact timings will be decided once a review of necessary obligations has been completed, including those in England and in the Anglican Communion.”

The new Archbishop of Canterbury will be appointed once The King’s approval is given to the selection. However, Charles III won’t choose Justin Welby’s successor. Instead, the Crown Appointments Commission will select up to two candidates and present those names to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer. Sir Keir will then submit the chosen name to The King for His Majesty’s approval.

Justin Welby has been Archbishop of Canterbury since 2013. During his tenure, he crowned King Charles III and conducted the funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II.