Did King Charles hide his 'sausage fingers' in official portrait photos ahead of Coronation?
3 May 2023, 10:27 | Updated: 3 May 2023, 10:50
Did King Charles hide his hands to avoid being mocked for his 'sausage fingers' in portraits released ahead of his coronation?
Royal watchers on social media joked that the King appears to have been "bullied" into keeping his fingers off show in the new photographs ahead of the coronation.
In the new pictures, the monarch wore a simple pinstripe suit while his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, posed in a cobalt blue dress.
But members of the public realised that one detail appeared to be hidden from the photographer – the King's hands.
In one shot he has them hidden behind his back as he stands alongside Camilla, 75 while in a second shot the 74-year-old is seen with one hand in his pocket.
Since taking the throne last September images of his hands – which he jokingly described as his 'sausage fingers' during a 2012 Australian tour – went viral online as many zoomed in on the King's fingers. On one occasion it seventh most searched term on Google.
But social media users have jokingly remarked that the monarch has been "bullied" into keeping his fingers off show.
One person added: "I can't believe Twitter has bullied the literal king into never showing his hands."
The King has been pictured with swollen hands and feet many times, noticeably after long periods spent flying or travelling to hot countries.
While royal fans have expressed concern over the appearance of the King's hands, he has not confirmed the reason for the swelling.
According to a doctor, swollen fingers could be due to a number of health concerns, or could be the result of water retention, or simply old age.
Several conditions including oedema or arthritis could be responsible. Other causes could be high blood pressure, or a high salt diet.
