DNA test reveals Archbishop of Canterbury's father was Churchill's private secretary

The Archbishop of Canterbury has revealed that he is the illegitimate son of Winston Churchill’s private secretary, the late Sir Anthony Montague Brown.

In a statement issued late on Friday Archbishop Justin Welby said that in the last month he had discovered that his biological father was not Gavin Welby, something he said came "as a complete surprise".

The Archbishop took a DNA test after The Daily Telegraph approached him with research into his family background. It revealed that his biological father was Churchill's last private secretary, with whom his mother had an affair before she married Gavin Welby.

In a separate statement Archbishop Welby's mother, Lady Williams of Elvel, who was herself personal secretary to Churchill, said the news came as an "almost unbelievable shock".

Both Gavin Welby, who died as a result of alcohol and smoking in 1977 when the Archbishop was 21, and his mother were alcoholics. As a result Lady Williams said that her recollection of events was patchy.

"During the days leading up to my very sudden marriage [to Gavin Welby], and fuelled by a large amount of alcohol on both sides, I went to bed with Anthony Montague Brown. It appears that the precautions taken at the time didn’t work and my wonderful son was conceived as a result of this liaison."

Archbishop Welby said his early life was "messy" as a result of his parents’ addictions.

But he noted: "My own experience is typical of many people. To find that one's father is other than imagined is not unusual. To be the child of families with great difficulties in relationships, with substance abuse or other matters, is far too normal."

He acknowledged that there were elements of sadness and tragedy in Gavin Welby’s life, but, paying tribute to his mother’s recovery from alcoholism, said that "this is a story of redemption and hope from a place of tumultuous difficulty and near despair in several lives. It is a testimony to the grace and power of Christ to liberate and redeem us, grace and power which is offered to every human being".

He also paid tribute to his mother’s faith, Alcoholics Anonymous and the NHS for supporting her sobriety.

"She has not touched alcohol for over 48 years. I am enormously proud of her," he said.

Recollecting his enthronement as Archbishop of Canterbury 2013, when as part of the ceremony he was asked who he was, Welby said emphatically that he was still Justin, a servant of Jesus Christ.

"I know that I find who I am in Jesus Christ, not in genetics, and my identity in him never changes. Even more importantly my role as Archbishop makes me constantly aware of the real and genuine pain and suffering of many around the world, which should be the main focus of our prayers," he concluded.