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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz

Doctor explains medical reason behind King Charles' swollen 'sausage fingers'

Ever since then-Prince Charles joked about his "sausage fingers" back in 2012, after getting off a long haul flight to Australia, many have wondered what is the cause of the monarch's swollen hands.

While King Charles III, who was coronated on Saturday at Westminster Abbey, has never directly addressed the reason, many royal fans have speculated, especially after seeing him pour a pint during a royal engagement in 2021.

At the time, one fan took to Twitter to say: "I've never noticed the hands of Prince Charles until this photo. Is he okay? They are so swollen."

Now a doctor has given insight into the potential cause of the 74-year-old's so-called 'sausage' fingers.

King Charles has joked about his 'sausage' fingers (Getty Images)
He's never publicly spoken about the reason (Getty Images)

According to GP Chun Tang, Medical Director at Pall Mall Medical in Manchester, there are many reasons why this happens.

Dr Tang told the Daily Mail: "Often puffy fingers are a symptom of water retention which can be caused by numerous health conditions.

"This condition arises due to inflammation and can be a result of arthritis, multiple bacterial infections or even TB.

"Other possibilities include high salt levels, allergic reactions, medicinal side effects, injury and autoimmune disease."

There's even a technical term for his 'sausage fingers' – dactylitis – which is a medical term for severe swelling that affects your fingers and toes.

King Charles has a seemingly lighthearted approach to his hands' condition.

In a letter to his friend after his son, Prince William was born, he reportedly wrote, as quoted in Charles, The Man Who Will Be King by Howard Hodgson: "I can't tell you how excited and proud I am. He really does look surprisingly appetising and has sausage fingers just like mine."

His late mother, the Queen, also noted the size of Charles' hands, reportedly writing a letter to her music teacher after he was born: "They are rather large, but with fine long fingers quite unlike mine and certainly unlike his father's. It will be interesting to see what they become."

During his momentous Coronation, questions around the King's swollen digits resurfaced, as some wondered whether the monarch was only wearing one glove as part of the ceremony owing to his hands. It turns out, however, that this was simply part of tradition.

Jibes went even further when one company made a vape modelled around the monarch's fingers.

Meanwhile, another royal fan believes they spotted the King's digits in their cup of coffee on the day of the Coronation.

The King has never confirmed the cause of his swollen fingers.

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