William Taylor: key obituary facts
Is William Taylor dead? Yes. William Taylor died on July 7, 2026, at age 69.
Cause of death: William Taylor's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was William Taylor known for?
He was a last Provost (and first Dean) of Portsmouth Cathedral.
More about William Taylor
Born: 23 December 1956.
Gender: male.
Occupation: priest.
Nationality: United Kingdom.
Education: University of Kent.
Also known as: William Henry Taylor.
William Henry Taylor, the English Anglican clergyman who served as dean of Portsmouth Cathedral from 2000 to 2002, died on July 7, 2026, aged 69.
Born on December 23, 1956, he was educated at the University of Kent and later studied at Tübingen, Lancaster and London, where he received a PhD from SOAS in Ottoman Syriac Studies. Ordained in 1984, he began his ministry as assistant curate at All Saints, Canterbury, before serving as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s adviser on Orthodox affairs at Lambeth Palace and later as senior curate at All Saints, Margaret Street.
He became the last provost, and then the first dean, of Portsmouth Cathedral, resigning after two years when questions arose over his doctorate claims.