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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
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Jacob Rawley & Iona Young

Doctor reveals medical explanation behind King Charles' 'sausage fingers'

King Charles III will mark his reign as king today in a historic ceremony at Westminster Abbey, which will see Royal fans celebrating up and down the UK.

While the King is known for a great many things - from past environmental activism to a love for polo - one thing that some may have spotted is his 'sausage fingers'.

Ever since the then-Prince joked about his hands in 2012, after getting off a long haul flight to Australia, people have wondered what causes the swelling, writes the Record.

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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."

GP Chun Tang, Medical Director at Pall Mall Medical in Manchester, has given insight into the potential cause of the 74-year-old's so-called 'sausage' fingers.

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."

The technical term for the King's 'sausage fingers' is dactylitis – which is used to describe severe swelling that affects fingers and toes. King Charles has a seemingly lighthearted approach to his hands' condition.

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In a letter to his friend after his son, Prince William was born, he apparently joked about his hands, and suggested that William may grow to have similar fingers.

As quoted in Charles, The Man Who Will Be King by Howard Hodgson, Charles reportedly 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."

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

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