Many people have taken to social media to speculate about King Charles III's health after pictures of his red and swollen fingers went viral.
Concern for the monarch's condition has only become more widespread since the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away last week at the age of 96.
Now, a doctor had weighed in on the debate, offering a potential explanation for why the 73-year-old monarch's hands appear to be "swollen" in photos and videos.
Images of the monarch's fingers have been circulating online over the past few days.
One person tweeted: "Any doctors follow me, why are Charles's fingers so swollen is he ill?"
A second added: "Prince Charles’ hands at the #PlatinumJubilee are once again looking very swollen and unwell… is he OK???"
Dr Gareth Nye - a senior lecturer at the University of Chester - told the Daily Star that there are "loads of conditions" which could have led to the King's swollen fingers.
However, he added that some were particularly likely. One likely cause is oedema, or fluid retention, which occurs when the body starts to retain fluids in the limbs, causing them to swell.
"Oedema is a common condition and mostly affects people over the age of 65 as the ability for fluid control is restricted," the doctor explained. He added that an easy test would determine whether this is the cause of the King's swollen hands, saying: "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 named arthritis as a strong possibility for King Charles' swollen fingers, explaining that the condition is common in the over 60s and "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," he added.
The doctor went on to list less likely causes as a "high salt diet" or certain medications that can lead to "swelling as a side effect".
However, he was quick to reassure people that the King's swollen fingers were not a major cause for concern. "There certainly aren't any immediate health concerns to be concluded from swollen fingers and is most likely a sign of his age," he said.
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