King Charles poked fun at his own 'sausage fingers' in coronation rehearsal

A royal documentary about King Charles III's coronation is set to air, and at one point shows the monarch joking about his "sausage fingers".

The BBC special programme Charles III: The Coronation Year will show a behind-the-scenes look at the preparations and rehearsals ahead of the big event that took place on May 6 this year.

At one point, it shows Prince William as he closed a small clasp on his father's regal robe with his hands and quipped: "On the day, that’s not going to go in."

To which Charles, poked fun at his hands with his reply: “No, you haven’t got sausage fingers like mine.”

It's not the first time Charles has spoken about his "sausage fingers," as he previously referred to them in a letter to a friend following William's birth, as per Howard Hodgson’s biography Charles, The Man Who Will Be King.

King Charles III stands after being crowned during his coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, on May 6, 2023 in London, England. Photo by Richard Pohle - WPA Pool/Getty Images

"I can’t tell you how excited and proud I am. He really does look surprisingly appetising and has sausage fingers just like mine," he reportedly wrote.

Meanwhile, the late Queen reportedly mentioned her son's "interesting" hands after his birth when writing to a former music teacher.

"The baby is very sweet and we are enormously proud of him. He has an interesting pair of hands for a baby," she reportedly wrote, according to The Mirror.

"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!"

The King's fingers have been a topic of conversation for a while, with photos of his fingers sparking discussions on social media and medical experts weighing in to give their verdict.

GP Chun Tang, Medical Director at Pall Mall Medical in Manchester, told the Daily Mail that Charles could have dactylitis– a swelling affecting fingers and toes.

"Often puffy fingers are a symptom of water retention, which can be caused by numerous health conditions," he said.

"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."

Charles III: The Coronation Year will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 26 December 2023.

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