The Archbishop had heard rumours about his paternity before, but had dismissed them out of hand because he was born almost exactly nine months after his mother married Gavin Welby and had always thought he was a honeymoon baby. He still refers to Welby, who died in 1977, as “my father”, having been brought up by him in what he describes as “messy” circumstances because of his alcoholism.

He released a statement last night in which he said: “My own experience is typical of many people. To find that one’s father is other than imagined is fairly frequent. To be the child of families with great difficulties in relationships, with substance abuse or other matters, is far too normal.

“Although there are elements of sadness, and even tragedy in my father’s case, 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 added: “I know that I find who I am in Jesus Christ, not in genetics, and my identity in him never changes.”