Why does King Charles have swollen ‘sausage’ fingers?

Why does King Charles have swollen ‘sausage’ fingers? And what has the royal himself said about his swollen hands?

In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry discussed King Charles’ chronic neck and back pain, which he partly credited to his father’s old polo injuries.

But keen royal watchers may be concerned about another potential health issue the King has previously joked about – his swollen fingers.

The royal himself dubbed them his ‘sausage fingers’ in a letter he wrote to a friend when he was describing his newborn son, Prince William.

‘I can’t tell you how excited and proud I am. He really does look surprisingly appetising and has sausage fingers just like mine,’ he wrote, as quoted in Charles, The Man Who Will Be King by Howard Hodgson.

Discussion surrounding Charles’ ‘sausage fingers’ has been widespread on social media, at one point being the seventh most searched term on Google in the UK, with many questioning what the issue could be.

 Keen royal watchers may be concerned about a potential health issue King Charles has previously joked about – his swollen fingers

Has King Charles always had swollen hands?

King Charles has been pictured with swollen hands and feet many times, noticeably after long periods spent flying or travelling to hot countries.

While the monarch has suffered from the condition for a number of years, conversation around the issue became more widespread when he ascended the throne following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

When Charles became King at the age of 73, images of his puffy digits – which he jokingly described as his ‘sausage fingers’ in 2012 while on tour in Australia after a long flight – swept across the internet.

The King has been snapped with swollen fingers on a number of occasions over the years, jokingly referring to them as 'sausages' back in 2012

The King has been snapped with swollen fingers on a number of occasions over the years, jokingly referring to them as ‘sausages’ back in 2012

Charles' fingers and toes were noticeably red and swollen on the first day of his royal tour in India in 2019

Charles’ fingers and toes were noticeably red and swollen on the first day of his royal tour in India in 2019

He was also seen with painfully swollen hands and feet during the first day of his royal tour in India in 2019 when he removed his shoes to step into a Sikh temple in New Delhi.

Observers also pointed out the royals’ swollen hands while he sipped a pint in The Prince of Wales pub in Clapham Old Town in 2021.

The royal has had large hands from a young age – a feature the Queen wrote about in a letter to her music teacher after Charles had been born.

She 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.’

Why does Charles have ‘sausage’ fingers?

While royal fans have expressed concern over the appearance of the King’s hands, he has not confirmed the reason for the swelling.

According to a doctor, swollen fingers could be due to a number of health concerns, or could be the result of water retention, or simply old age.  

Several conditions including oedema or arthritis could be responsible. Other causes could be high blood pressure, or a high salt diet.

Oedema is a condition where the body starts to retain fluids in the limbs, causing them to swell – and it can also occur in the fingers. 

Royal observers noticed King Charles' swollen fingers while he sipped a pint in The Prince of Wales pub in Clapham Old Town in 2021

Royal observers noticed King Charles’ swollen fingers while he sipped a pint in The Prince of Wales pub in Clapham Old Town in 2021

Men are less likely than women to suffer from oedema. This is because the female hormone progesterone tends to cause the condition, leaving some women with puffy ankles just before their period. 

Older people develop the disorder if they sit for long periods of time.

However, it could be a result of arthritis, which is a common condition in the over 60s and afects the thumb joint and the joints in the fingers. 

Fingers usually become stiff, painful and swollen and although medication can help with the pain, the swelling can remain.

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