King Charles III's 'sausage fingers' explained as doctor blames 'condition'

Today, on November 14, King Charles III celebrates his 76th birthday with the launch of the first two Coronation Food hubs. This venture, launched last year as a legacy project on his 75th birthday, aims to help those in need of sustenance and to combat food waste. The monarch is set to open one hub in person and another virtually.

Despite revealing his cancer diagnosis this past February, the monarch remains active in his Royal duties. However, public appearances have led to continuous commentary on his so-called 'sausage fingers'.

This observation first drew significant attention when, back in 2012, the then-Prince humorously remarked on his hand's appearance following a long flight to Australia. Interest surged again when, during a Royal engagement in 2021 where he poured a pint, one observer posted on X (previously known as Twitter): "I've never noticed the hands of Prince Charles until this photo. Is he okay? They are so swollen."

More recently, fans speculated what the reason could be after his six-day visit to Australia with Queen Camilla. Searches for 'Charles sausage fingers' are often high, according to data from Google Trends.

At the end of 2023, viewers saw the monarch laugh about his swollen fingers during a conversation with son Prince William, in the BBC documentary Charles III: The Coronation Year. While closing a clasp that held a robe around his father, he said: "On the day, that's not going to go in," to which Charles jokingly replied: "No, you haven't got sausage fingers like mine."

GP Chun Tang, Medical Director at Pall Mall Medical in Manchester, gave insight into the potential cause of the royal'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. In a letter to his friend after his son, Prince William was born, he reportedly wrote, as quoted in Charles, The Man Who Will Be King by Howard Hodgson: "I can't tell you how excited and proud I am. He really does look surprisingly appetising and has sausage fingers just like mine."

His late mother, the Queen, also noted the size of Charles' hands, reportedly writing a letter to her music teacher after he was born: "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."

According to the NHS, swelling in the arms and hands, also known as oedema, are often caused by a build-up of fluid in the area. This can be caused by staying in the same position too long, eating too much salty food, or taking certain medicines. It can also occur from changes in temperature, infections, or some conditions like psoriatic arthritis. If your arm or hand is swollen and it's not improved after treatment, or it gets worse, you should speak to your GP.