When King Charles III took the throne, many inside the palace were caught off guard by the name he chose. According to former royal butler Grant Harrold, staff had expected the new monarch to reign as George VII, a nod to his grandfather King George VI and possibly to his grandson Prince George.
Harrold recalled that he and others were sure Charles would choose a name that honoured his family’s legacy. “We were all convinced he would become George VII,” he said. Charles’ full name is Charles Philip Arthur George, which had only fuelled the speculation.
Instead, the King chose to reign as Charles III, following the example of his mother Queen Elizabeth II by using his given name. Harrold suggested that Charles might have wanted to leave the name George for his grandson. “It makes sense for Charles to go with Charles. It would make more sense for his grandson to have that name,” he said.
Harrold admitted he was also surprised because of the history tied to the name Charles. Charles I was executed for treason, and Charles II was known for his scandalous reputation. “So when he picked Charles, I was quite surprised because that was not the impression I got,” Harrold said during the launch of his book The Royal Butler.
King Charles III became monarch on 8 September 2022 after the death of Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle. Last week, on the third anniversary of her passing, he marked the occasion privately at the royal residence in Scotland.
