Worry over Prince Charles' 'sausage fingers' resurfaces after Prince Philip's funeral

Prince Charles' "sausage fingers" have been a growing concern among royal fans over the years and that worry was reignited when he stepped out on Prince Philip's funeral with inflamed hands.

Photos from the funeral procession on April 17 showed the 72-year-old royal looking sad as he tried to keep his emotions in check. But his forlorn look caused less attention than the puffy appearance of his fingers.

"I've never noticed the hands of Prince Charles until this photo! Is he ok? OMG they are so swollen," one Twitter user noted, while another shared an old picture to compare his fingers to sausage links.

Images of the Prince of Wales' fingers always spark health concerns among fans. So much so, that it has become one of the most popular searches on Google. According to Woman and Home, searches about his "sausage fingers" in the past 12 months rank fourth in the U.K. A quick search on "Prince Charles sausage fingers" on Twitter also gives results from way back in 2015.

Meanwhile, the term "Prince Charles fingers" gives an average of 33,000 Google searches monthly based on Keyword Tool alone. The number rose considerably in recent months, especially after another photo of his hands emerged in March this year.

Concerns also rose in 2019 after he visited India in November to celebrate the 50th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. The future king of England had removed his shoes when he visited the Sikh house of worship Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. Photos showed his feet and hands appeared puffy and red.

Apparently, fans want to know if Prince Charles is suffering from any kind of health issue that affects his hands. The distinct red and puffy appearance could reportedly be caused by anything from water retention, poor circulation, or arthritis. It could also be dactylitis, a condition characterised by severe inflammation of the finger and toe joints. In some severe cases, the fingers become so rigid that it is difficult to form them into a fist.

The palace has yet to address the concerns but Prince Charles has never been self-conscious about his "sausage fingers." He even joked about it during a trip to Australia in 2012.