King Charles' fingers: Why is everyone talking about the monarch's hands?
6 May 2023, 10:30
King Charles has previously described himself as having 'sausage fingers', as a doctor explains the reason...
King Charles is set to be crowned this weekend in an incredible ceremony at Westminster Abbey alongside Queen Camilla.
As the coronation weekend kicks off, most of us are excited about all the festivities including street parties, the flypast and the special concert.
But many royal fans have something else on their mind… King Charles’ fingers.
So, what happened to the King’s fingers? Here’s what a doctor has to say…
Why is everyone talking about King Charles' fingers?
Speculation around the monarch’s fingers was ignited in 2021 when he was photographed pulling a pint of beer in South London.
One fan wrote on Twitter: "I've never noticed the hands of Prince Charles until this photo! Is he ok? They are so swollen."
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The King has previously joked about his digits, referring to himself as having "sausage fingers" in a letter to a friend after his son, William, the Prince of Wales, was born.
Quoted in the biography Charles, The Man Who Will Be King by Howard Hodgson, he wrote: "I can't tell you how excited and proud I am. He really does look surprisingly appetising and has sausage fingers just like mine.”
According to Cornwall Live, in 2012 King Charles also made reference to his enlarged fingers during a trip to Australia, calling them his "sausage fingers" following the flight.
While we don’t know exactly what the cause of King Charles’ swollen fingers is, the NHS website states causes could be temporary fluid retention, or a sudden change in temperature to arthritis.
Arthritis is a disease that affects the tissues of your joints and can cause swelling, pain, stiffness and loss of function.
A doctor previously explained that there are a number of possible explanations, but said they shouldn’t 'concern' the public.
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Speaking to the Daily Star, Gareth Nye, senior lecturer at the University of Chester said: "Oedema is a condition where the body starts to retain fluids in the limbs, normally the legs and ankles but also in the fingers, which causes them to swell.
"To see if this is the cause, pressing the swollen area for about 15 seconds would cause a depression in the area. Arthritis - another common condition in the over 60s. It often affects three main areas in the hand - the thumb joint or either joints in the fingers.
"Fingers usually become stiff, painful and swollen and although medication can help with the pain, the swelling can remain.'"
