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Doctor Reveals Medical Explanation for King Charles’ Swollen Sausage Fingers
Many royal enthusiasts have expressed worry over the years regarding King Charles' swollen sausage hands, a term he humorously coined himself.
These concerns resurfaced during his recent visit to France alongside Queen Camilla.
Since their arrival in France, people have taken to social media to share their apprehensions about his swollen hands.
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The monarch was spotted during a banquet with Emmanuel Macron in Paris last night, where some royal followers had previously speculated that he might have felt pressured to display his hands in official photographs.
“Sausage fingers” even became the seventh most searched term on Google at one point this year.
However, during the Black Tie Gala at the Palace of Versailles, King Charles seemed unfazed by any potential embarrassment surrounding his hands.
The king first made light of his sausage fingers back in 2012 after a long-haul flight to Australia as Prince Charles.
Since then, there has been ongoing speculation about the cause of his swollen hands.
Although King Charles III, who was crowned in Westminster Abbey on May 6 this year, has never directly addressed the issue, many royal fans have pondered, especially after witnessing him pour a pint during a royal event in 2021.
Recently, a doctor shed light on the potential reasons behind the 74-year-old monarch's distinctive fingers.
GP Chun Tang, the medical director of Paul Mall Medical in Manchester, explained to the Daily Mail that swollen fingers can indicate water retention, which may stem from various health conditions.
This swelling can result from inflammation linked to arthritis, bacterial infections, tuberculosis, high salt levels, allergic reactions, medication side effects, injuries, or autoimmune diseases.
The medical term for severe swelling affecting fingers and toes is dactylitis, colloquially known as “sausage toes.”
King Charles seems to take a lighthearted approach to his hand condition, as evidenced by a letter he wrote to a friend after the birth of his son, Prince William.
In the letter, quoted in Charles Howard Hodgson's “The Man Who Will Be King,” he expressed excitement and pride, noting the similarity between his son's and his own sausage-shaped fingers.
Even his late mother, the Queen, remarked on the size of Charles' hands, writing to his music teacher after his birth about their difference from hers and his father's.
She mused on the future development of his hands, which she found intriguing.
During the king's significant coronation ceremony, questions arose about his swollen fingers, with some speculating about his decision to wear only one glove during the event.
However, it was later clarified that this was simply a traditional practice.
The situation took a comical turn when a company created a vape resembling the monarch's fingers, and a keen royal fan claimed to have spotted the king's digits in his coffee cup on coronation day.
Despite the ongoing curiosity surrounding his hands, King Charles has not publicly disclosed the cause of his swollen fingers.