01 October 2023 , 20:46
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King Charles' fingers have been compared to "sausages" and have gained much social media attention over the years - and it turns out it may run in the family.
The King has regularly been pictured with puffy fingers and swollen feet, often after a long-haul flight or a period in a hot country. Snaps of him at a Sikh temple in New Delhi in 2019, sinking a pint at the Prince of Wales pub in Clapham Old Town in 2021, or even at his own coronation earlier this year have sparked discussion on what the cause may be.
It is no recent development, with Queen Elizabeth II famously noting her eldest son’s large fingers when he was just a baby. In a letter to her music teacher after Charles’ birth, the late Queen wrote: “The baby is very sweet 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.”
Charles has not revealed the reason behind his puffy fingers (Getty Images)
He will be relieved he isn't the only puffy-fingered royal, with William and Andrew following suit (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)But Charles, despite having the most noticeably large fingers, might not be alone in his family - as he may have passed them on to his eldest son, William. In fact, like-mother-like-son, Charles commented on Will’s hands in a letter to his friend when his son was born, the MailOnline reported.
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It read: “I can't tell you how excited and proud I am. He really does look surprisingly appetising and has sausage fingers just like mine,” as quoted in Charles, The Man Who Will Be King by Howard Hodgson.
King Charles has never confirmed why his fingers swell up, but according to medical experts, it could be for a variety of health issues. It could also be due to water retention or old age - the latter of which seems unlikely, given the Queen’s comments.
Oedema - when the body retains fluids in the limbs - arthritis, high blood pressure, or consuming too much salt could be behind the chubby digits. Arthritis is common in over 60s and can cause swelling in the joints. But unless the King decides to share his medical history with his subjects, it’s unlikely we will ever know for sure.
Earlier this year GP Chun Tang, Medical Director at Pall Mall Medical in Manchester, said 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.