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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Milica Cosic & Ryan Paton

King Charles' swollen fingers explained as Queen said he had 'large' hands as a baby

Queen Elizabeth II claimed King Charles III had "large" hands as a baby.

Her Majesty's eldest son has ascended to the throne after she died at Balmoral last Thursday aged 96. The new King was born in November 1948 and The Queen swooned with pride as she documented the time after his birth.

Elizabeth II was a Princess at the time as she wasn't crowned Queen until 1953. She spent the days after his birth in the Palace's Buhl room which had been converted into a surgery - Mirror Online reports.

READ MORE: Queen's funeral bank holiday: What are the working rules and will you get the day off

The Queen penned a letter to her former music teacher as she gushed over her first born child. She said: "The baby is very sweet and we are enormously proud of him. He has an interesting pair of hands for a baby.

"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. I still find it hard to believe I have a baby of my own."

King Charles fingers have since become a talking point as people spotted their swollen appearance on Royal visits. His Majesty jokingly branded them his "sausage fingers" during a trip to Australia in 2012.

A doctor has issued an explanation of the possible health conditions the King may be suffering from as images of the 73-year-old's hands continue to be shared on social media. Dr Gareth Nye said: "Oedema is a condition where the body starts to retain fluids in the limbs, normally the legs and ankles but also in the fingers, which causes them to swell.

"To see if this is the cause, pressing the swollen area for about 15 seconds would cause a depression in the area." Dr Nye also suggested arthritis as a possible contributing factor for the King's swollen fingers.

He said: "Another common condition in the over 60s. It often affects three main areas in the hand - the thumb joint or either joints in the fingers.

"Fingers usually become stiff, painful and swollen and although medication can help with the pain, the swelling can remain." Other causes could be a high salt diet or specific medications like those made for high blood pressure.

Symptoms of Oedema

Oedema is a build up of fluid in the body, which can cause the affected tissue to become swollen. Swelling can occur in one particular part of the body, or it may be more general - depending on the cause. Doctors note that oedema is often temporary, but if it does not clear by itself, you should see a GP.

  • Swelling

As well as swelling or puffiness of the skin, if you have oedema, you may also experience other symptoms including:

  • skin discolouration
  • areas of skin that temporarily hold the imprint of your finger when pressed (pitting oedema)
  • aching, tender limbs
  • stiff joints
  • weight gain

You can light a candle for Queen Elizabeth II here or leave a tribute to her here.

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