King Charles' 'sausage fingers' explained as he returns to work - after decades of poking fun at them
King Charles was applauded by his many fans as he returned to royal duties yesterday after taking some time off after his cancer diagnosis.
But one thing people often ask about when he's back in the public eye is what the monarch has previously dubbed his "sausage fingers" which have been noticeable in some pictures.
In fact, in one heartwarming moment from rehearsals for his Coronation, King Charles can be seen making jokes about his swollen hands - sending his son Prince William into fits of laughter.
The rehearsal for the coronation shown in Charles III: The Coronation Year, sees William using his hands to close a small clasp that fixes a robe around his beloved father.
He cheerfully made a joke to his dad, saying: "On the day, that’s not going to go in." Charles replied with a smile as he said: "No, you haven't got sausage fingers like mine."
The monarch is even reported to have sent a letter to a friend after William was born in 1982, writing: "I can’t tell you how excited and proud I am. He really does look surprisingly appetising and has sausage fingers just like mine."
Having swollen hands is often caused by having excess fluid trapped in your body's tissue and according to the NHS can be triggered by an injury or a sudden change in temperature.
The health service says the condition - often called odema - can be remedied in a series of simple ways including getting gentle exercise, raising your hand above your head or bathing your hand in first warm water then cold water.
GP Chun Tang, Medical Director at Pall Mall Medical in Manchester, told the Mail last year: "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."
In previous years, Charles has poked fun at his large digits, which have often gone viral online if they have been prominent in a photograph of the much-pictured monarch.
Charles has also joked in the past about having "sausage fingers" following a flight to Australia in 2012.
The King made a return to public duties by making a visit to a hospital and specialist cancer centre in London on Tuesday.
Joined by Queen Camilla, he met doctors and patients during the visit to raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and the research taking place at University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre.
