Why does King Charles have swollen ‘sausage fingers’? And what did the king himself say about his swollen hands?
In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry discussed King Charles’s chronic neck and back pain, which he attributed in part to his father’s old polo injuries.
But avid royal viewers may be concerned about another potential health issue the king has previously joked about: his swollen fingers.
The royal family themselves referred to them as his “sausage fingers” in a letter he wrote to a friend describing his newborn son, Prince William.
“I can’t tell you how excited and proud I am. He really does look surprisingly appetizing and has sausage fingers just like mine,” he wrote, as quoted in Howard Hodgson’s Charles, The Man Who Will Be King.
Discussion about Charles’ ‘sausage fingers’ is rife on social media, at one point it was the seventh most searched term on Google in the UK, with many wondering what the problem might 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 is often depicted with swollen hands and feet, noticeable after long periods of flying or traveling to hot countries.
Although the monarch has suffered from the condition for several years, conversation about the issue became more widespread when he ascended the throne following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
When Charles became king at age 73, images of his swollen fingers – which he jokingly described as his “sausage fingers” while touring Australia after a long flight in 2012 – went viral on the internet.
The king has snapped swollen fingers a number of times over the years, jokingly referring to them as ‘sausages’ in 2012
Charles’ fingers and toes were conspicuously red and swollen on the first day of his 2019 royal tour of India
He was also seen with painfully swollen hands and feet on the first day of his 2019 royal tour of India when he took off his shoes to step into a Sikh temple in New Delhi.
Observers also pointed to the royals’ swollen hands as he sipped a pint at The Prince of Wales pub in Clapham Old Town in 2021.
The royal family has had big hands from an early age – a trait the Queen wrote about in a letter to her music teacher after Charles was born.
She wrote: “The baby is very sweet and we are extremely proud of him. He has an interesting pair of hands for a baby.
‘They are quite large, but with fine long fingers that are very different from mine and certainly not from his father. It will be interesting to see what they become.’
Why does Charles have “sausage fingers”?
Although royal fans have expressed concern about the appearance of the king’s hands, he has not confirmed the reason for the swelling.
According to a doctor, swollen fingers can be due to a number of health conditions, water retention, or simply old age.
Several conditions, including edema or arthritis, may be responsible. Other causes may include high blood pressure or a high-salt diet.
Edema is a condition where the body begins to retain fluid in the extremities, causing them to swell – and it can also occur in the fingers.
Royal observers noticed King Charles’s swollen fingers as he sipped a pint at The Prince of Wales pub in Clapham Old Town in 2021
Men are less likely than women to develop edema. This is because the female hormone progesterone tends to trigger the condition, causing some women to get swollen ankles just before their period.
Older people develop the disorder when they sit for long periods of time.
However, it can be a result of arthritis, a common condition in people over 60 the thumb joint and the joints in the fingers.
Fingers usually become stiff, painful, and swollen, and while medications can help with the pain, the swelling may remain.