The religious life of Rowan Williams - in pictures

January 2002: Rowan Williams when he was the archbishop of Wales. A former professor of divinity at Oxford University, he took over the post of archbishop of Canterbury from Dr George Carey the following year Photograph: PA

July 2002: Williams and his wife, Jane, outside Church House. They married in 1981 and have two children Photograph: Denis Jones/Evening Standard/Rex Features

27 February 2003: The archbishop of Canterbury kisses the Canterbury Gospels presented to him by the dean of Canterbury, Robert Willis, as he is enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral Photograph: Johnny Green/PA

2003: Archbishop elect Rowan Williams at Lambeth Palace
Photograph: Dan Chung for the Guardian

January 2004: The archbishop attends a service in St George Cathedral in Jerusalem Photograph: Gali Tibbon/AFP/Getty Images

April 2005: The archbishop led a service of blessing for Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle [this caption was corrected because the original said that the archbishop married Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall]
Photograph: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images

September 2005: The archbishop of Canterbury and film director Ken Loach receive honorary degrees from Oxford University Photograph: Robert Judges / Rex Features/Robert Judges / Rex Features

December 2006: The archbishop of Canterbury prays in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem with the archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian, and the Reverend David Coffey Photograph: Getty Images

September 2007: Williams visits the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina. He met the Reverend Shola Falodun, vicar of the All Saints Episcopal Church Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex Features

July 2008: Williams leads a march against poverty in London, demanding action to halve poverty worldwide by 2015 Photograph: Cate Gillon/Getty Images

November 2009: The archbishop of Canterbury speaks during evening prayer at the Church St Ignatius in Rome Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images

November 2010: The Queen and Prince Philip attend a service led by the archbishop of York, John Sentamu, and the archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster Abbey in London Photograph: Dan Kitwood/AFP/Getty Images

April 2011: Pope Benedict XVI is embraced by the archbishop of Canterbury during a celebration of evening prayer at Westminster Abbey Photograph: Richard Pohle/The Times/PA

April 2011: The archbishop marries Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

April 2011: The archbishop performs the washing of the feet ceremony during the Maundy Thursday service at Canterbury Cathedral in Kent Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

February 2012: The Queen and the archbishop leave Lambeth Palace, London, followed by the Duke of Edinburgh and Jane Williams, after attending a multi-faith diamond jubilee reception Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA