At the time, one fan took to Twitter<\/a> to say: “I’ve never noticed the hands of Prince Charles until this photo. Is he okay? They are so swollen.”<\/p>\n Now a doctor has given insight into the potential cause of the 74-year-old’s so-called ‘sausage’ fingers.<\/p>\n According to GP Chun Tang, Medical Director at Pall Mall Medical in Manchester, there are many reasons why this happens.<\/p>\n Dr Tang told the Daily Mail<\/a>: “Often puffy fingers are a symptom of water retention which can be caused by numerous health conditions.<\/p>\n “This condition arises due to inflammation and can be a result of arthritis<\/a>, multiple bacterial infections or even TB.<\/p>\n “Other possibilities include high salt levels, allergic reactions, medicinal side effects, injury and autoimmune disease.”<\/p>\n There’s even a technical term for his ‘sausage fingers’ \u2013 dactylitis \u2013 which is a medical term for severe swelling that affects your fingers and toes.<\/p>\n King Charles has a seemingly lighthearted approach to his hands’ condition.<\/p>\n 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.”<\/p>\n His late mother, the Queen, also noted the size of Charles’ hands, reportedly writing a letter<\/a> 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.”<\/p>\n During his momentous Coronation, questions around the King’s swollen digits resurfaced, as some wondered<\/a> whether the monarch was only wearing one glove as part of the ceremony owing to his hands. It turns out, however, that this was simply part of tradition.<\/p>\n Jibes went even further when one company made a vape modelled around the monarch’s fingers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, another royal fan believes they spotted the King’s digits in their cup of coffee<\/a> on the day of the Coronation.<\/p>\n The King has never confirmed the cause of his swollen fingers.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2_VE-Day-70th-Anniversary-Day-Three.jpg\")
King Charles has joked about his ‘sausage’ fingers (Getty Images)
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He’s never publicly spoken about the reason (Getty Images)<\/p>\n