King Charles’ alleged ‘sausage fingers’ roasted online

“Game of Thrones” wasn’t the first time they destroyed the Hand of the King.

Amid widespread speculation, a doctor is weighing in on the oft-mocked photos of King Charles III’s alleged swollen-red “sausage fingers” currently going viral on Twitter. The royal’s Jimmy Dean-esque digits have been ridiculed for years, but recently blew up after the monarch ascended the throne following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.

“A reminder that these are King Charles III’s fingers,” read one of the many “Chuck roasts,” along with a picture of the royal’s hands looking crimson and bloated like Hellboy’s.

Another troll quipped, “Whoever can pull that ring off his finger will become the next king like Arthur with that sword in the stone.”

“I swear to god if I see Prince Charles fingers on this site one more time,” snarked another Twitter wit alongside a pic of bright red hot dogs. Interestingly, the king referred to himself as “sausage fingers” in a letter to a pal before Prince William was born.

Dr. Gareth Nye, senior lecturer at the University of Chester, has since weighed in on what King Charles’ vermillion mitts could mean for his health.

The doc explained that while “loads of conditions” could cause bloated fingers, some afflictions were more likely than others such as oedema or fluid retention.

“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,” Dr. Nye told the Daily Star. “Oedema is a common condition and mostly affects people over the age of 65 as the ability for fluid control is restricted.”

He added, “To see if this is the cause, pressing the swollen area for about 15 seconds would cause a depression in the area.”

Another possibility, per Dr. Nye, is arthritis, which he explained “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. Other less common causes of swelling include a high salt diet and medications such as blood pressure pills and steroids, according to the doctor.

However, Dr. Nye assured the public that there is nothing to be alarmed about, explaining: “There aren’t any immediate health concerns to be concluded from swollen fingers and is most likely a sign of his age.”

And, fortunately, the Hand of the King appears to be working just fine: Moments before signing the Accession Proclamation — marking his official ascension to the throne of the British Commonwealth — the monarch used his “sausage fingers” to frantically gesture at aides to clear the desk where he was to ink his name on the documents.

Several days before the queen’s death, she was seen sporting a troubling black bruise on her hand while greeting UK’s new Prime Minister Liz Truss. This sparked concerns that the monarch was suffering from a circulation issue — although the cause of her discolored grippers has yet to be revealed.