Overview

• Betting closed Thursday ahead of a Friday, Oct. 3, announcement at No. 10 Downing Street, where the prime minister will confirm King Charles III’s decision.
• The Crown Nominations Commission, chaired by former MI5 chief Sir Jonathan Evans, has signaled it will imminently pass its preferred candidate to the King after securing a two‑thirds majority.
• Two women are widely reported as leading contenders — Guli Francis-Dehqani and Rachel Treweek — with bookmakers having favored Francis-Dehqani; other names floated include Sarah Mullally, Pete Wilcox, Michael Beasley and Martyn Snow.
• The vacancy follows Justin Welby’s resignation over failures in handling a safeguarding scandal, sharpening expectations that the next archbishop prioritizes survivor trust and robust safeguarding.
• The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Church of England’s spiritual head with influence across the Anglican Communion and holds an automatic seat in the House of Lords, taking on deep divisions over same‑sex relationships and the role of women.