As King Charles ascends to the throne, his former butler Grant Harrold has shared the reason behind the monarch’s choice of regnal name and it’s all to do with Prince George
Members of the Royal family
King Charles III’s former Royal butler expressed his astonishment at the monarch’s selection of name upon taking the throne.
Grant Harrold, who served the then Prince of Wales from 2004 to 2011, reckons the King’s decision to opt for Charles III rather than George VII stems from a touching family motivation.
When a British sovereign assumes the throne, they possess the freedom to choose any of their given names as their official title.
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Given that Charles’ full name is Charles Philip Arthur George, he had the opportunity to select any of these names when he became the new monarch.
Speaking exclusively at the launch of his book The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life of Royal Service, Grant disclosed why the choice caught him off guard, reports the Mirror.
“I had a conversation [with him] and he explained to me about [the] titles, he explained to me about why you bow and curtsey, and he explained to me about the different titles he could use,” he revealed.
“And we, myself and other colleagues, discussed it and we were all convinced he would [become] George VII.
“Because Charles II had a reputation as [being] a womaniser and Charles I lost his head (after he was tried and convicted of treason). So when he picked Charles, I was quite surprised because that was not the impression I got.”
Grant speculates that Charles’ decision may have been influenced by his grandson Prince George, who is second in line to the throne after his father Prince William. “With his grandson George, maybe he felt he should be the next George VII,” Grant suggested.
“Maybe he feels that it would be a nice thing to let him have that – be the next George – because it makes sense for Charles to go with Charles, it does make sense, but to go with George, it would make more sense for his grandson to have that name.”
When the young Prince eventually ascends to the throne, he could opt for a different regnal name, like Charles did, or retain George.
Charles assumed the title of King Charles III on 8 September 2022, following the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. His ascension to the throne was automatic upon her death, as is tradition in the UK – the Crown immediately transfers to the heir.
During his seven-year tenure at Highgrove House, Grant served not only Charles but also Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Discussing what the royals were like behind closed doors, the former butler revealed he was taken aback by how ordinary some of their habits were, and said they were all very welcoming.
Grant characterised the King as particularly “approachable” and noted that Kate consistently made sure she checked in with staff during her visits to the residence.