Charles Daniel was born on 23 June 1894, the son of Lieutenant-Colonel C. J. Daniel, CBE, DSO. He was educated at Southcliffe School, Filey [Yorkshire], then the Royal Naval Colleges at Osborne [Isle of Wight] and Dartmouth [Devon]. In 1919 he married Marjory Katharine (who died in 1958), daughter of Arthur C. Wilson, MB, ChB, and they had one daughter; then in 1963 Daniel was married for a second time, to Mrs Pares Wilson.

Daniel's naval career began with HMS Orion in the Home Fleet and Grand Fleet, from 1912 to 1918 (during the war he was mentioned in despatches, was present at the Battle of Jutland and was awarded 2 medals), then in 1918 he specialised in Signals and Wireless. He was promoted to Commander in 1928 and was made Experimental Commander of the Signal School from 1928 to 1930. After passing the Naval and Royal Air Force Staff Colleges (1931-32), Daniel became Commander of HMS Glorious, (1933-34), then a full Captain in 1934. He next passed the Imperial Defence College in 1935 and joined the Admiralty Plans Division, for the Joint Planning Committee, (1936-38). He became Captain D of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla (earning a DSO) from 1938 until the early years of the Second World War in 1940, when he was brought back to the Admiralty as Director of Plans on the Naval Staff, (1940-41) and awarded a CBE. From 1941 to 1943 Daniel returned to sea as captain of HMS Renown, then in 1943 was made Rear-Admiral and became Flag Officer for Combined Operations. From 1944 to 1945 he served as Vice-Admiral (Administrative) for the British Pacific Fleet and Rear-Admiral Commanding the 1st Battle Squadron in the British Pacific Fleet, (being awarded the CB).

At the end of the war Daniel became Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy, from 1945 to 1949 (and was awarded the KCB and made a Vice-Admiral in 1946). He then served for two years as Commandant of the Imperial Defence College from 1949 to 1951, becoming a full Admiral in 1950 and retiring from the Navy in 1952. Following retirement, Daniel served as Chairman of the Television Advisory Committee for ten years, from 1952 to 1962. He died on 11 February 1981.