When Queen Elizabeth II gave birth to her eldest son in 1948, she named him Charles – not after the first man who had served as the British monarch using that same name, but rather after King Haakon of Norway.

She referred to him as "Uncle Charles," and he became King Charles III's namesake and godfather.

It is good that Charles III was not named after Charles I of England.

King Charles I was born in 1600 as the second son of King James I. His older brother, Henry, as noted by the Historic U.K. website, was set to be king but died in 1612 at the age of 18. Charles I then became the king in 1625 when King James I died.

"The English Civil War broke out in 1642 and divided the country into Roundheads, supporters of parliament, and the Cavaliers, the supporters of monarchy," notes the Historic U.K. website. "This was a war defined by issues of freedom, religion and the future for English governance."

King Charles I lost. In 1649, he was beheaded, and the British monarchy ceased to exist for 11 years, until Parliament restored it in 1660, and King Charles I's son became King Charles II.

It has now survived through the........

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