Since ascending to the throne as King Charles III after the passing of his mother in 2022, there has been a noticeable concern regarding King Charles’ well-being. This concern stems from the regular appearance of his swollen hands and occasionally his feet in photographs. Many people have been left wondering about the cause behind this unusual phenomenon.
One fan took to Twitter to express her surprise, stating, “I’ve never noticed the hands of Prince Charles until this photo! Is he okay? They are so swollen.” The concerns voiced by fans have only grown louder with time. Despite the swelling, King Charles has refrained from publicly discussing the reasons behind it, but he did humorously refer to his hands as “sausage fingers.”
Interestingly, this observation takes us back to a time when Prince William was just an infant. In Howard Hodgson’s book “The Man Who Will Be King,” he recounts a charming anecdote where King Charles remarks, “I can’t tell you how excited and proud I am. He does look surprisingly appetizing and has sausage fingers just like mine.” It seems that Charles’ distinctive finger size has been apparent even before he became a father.
This uniqueness caught the attention of Queen Elizabeth II, who commented on Charles’ fingers as a child. In correspondence with her music teacher, she wrote, “The baby is adorable, and we are enormously proud of him. He has an interesting pair of hands for a baby. 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.”
So what could be the cause of King Charles’ sausage fingers? While the underlying reason remains unknown, there are several factors that could contribute to the regular swelling in his hands and feet. These include temporary fluid retention, sudden changes in temperature, arthritis, high blood pressure, or a salt-rich diet. Each of these potential causes sheds light on the intriguing phenomenon surrounding his hands.
Arthritis, a chronic inflammatory condition that affects joint tissues, is one possible explanation. Symptoms of arthritis include joint swelling, discomfort, stiffness, and reduced function. While there is no known cure for arthritis, treatments such as medication and physiotherapy can help alleviate its symptoms. Although it cannot be confirmed that King Charles suffers from a specific type of arthritis, keen royal enthusiasts have noticed instances where his hands appear notably swollen during his travels to warmer climates abroad.
To delve deeper into this matter and explore potential explanations behind King Charles’ “sausage fingers,” we recommend watching the video below. In this video, medical professionals provide insights into the possible reasons for this unique characteristic and offer their perspectives on what might be causing it.
