William Cosmo Gordon Lang, 1st Baron Lang of Lambeth, (known as
Cosmo Gordon Lang; 31 October 1864 – 5 December 1945) was a Scottish
Anglican prelate who served as
Archbishop of York (1908–1928) and
Archbishop of Canterbury (1928–1942). His rapid elevation to Archbishop of York, within 18 years of his
ordination, is unprecedented in modern
Church of England history. As Archbishop of Canterbury during the
abdication crisis of 1936, he took a strong moral stance, his comments in a subsequent broadcast being widely condemned as uncharitable towards the departed king.