Per BBCKing Charles is said to have held private talks with Welby through intermediaries. But the monarch is unlikely to make any public statements until Welby effectively steps down from his post over the Church clergy. For now, Welby will remain Archbishop of Canterbury to facilitate the transition of power.

So what role will King Charles himself play in determining the name of the new Archbishop? As Supreme Governor of the Church of England, Charles was given the final say in the election, but His Majesty’s function is more vital than any actual decision-making due to its symbolism and historical significance. A group of 17 people, mostly clergy, known as the Royal Nomination Commission, hold a secret ballot before presenting two potential candidates to the Prime Minister. It is assumed that this short list actually represents a name and a ‘backup’ option.

Number 10 then approves the candidate and forwards the name to King Charles. At this point, it is within the King’s power to reject the decision; but he is unlikely to do so, and failure to give consent would potentially lead to a constitutional crisis.

However, it is important to remember that King Charles was considered a deeply spiritual monarch with great wisdom not only in religious matters but also in the Commonwealth congregation that the new Archbishop of Canterbury would serve. Parties may turn to him for advice throughout the selection process.

So who can they choose? The list is long and continues to be influenced by gender, age and internal issues. policy. Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, the church’s second most senior bishop Yorkmay seem like an obvious choice. But anyone occupying the office must retire at age 70, and Cottrell, who is 66, may not be considered a long-term candidate.

Other candidates include: Bishop Graham Usher of Norwich (whose role as the Church’s presiding bishop on the environment will no doubt appeal to King Charles); Richard Jackson, Bishop of Hereford (said to be Queen Camilla’s favorite cleric); Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, Bishop Chelmsford (who will be the Church’s first Iranian-born bishop and the first female Archbishop of Canterbury); and Martyn Snow, Bishop of Leicester, who shares the King’s determination to encourage other faiths as they flourish in multicultural Britain.