King Charles' 'Rough Skin': Monarch's Lack of Skincare Causes Fan Uproar After Shaking Hands With People
Although 'moody,' King Charles III has been described as 'fair' to his employees.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla's two-day tour of the Channel Islands included a stop in Guernsey, which led one royal well-wisher to spill a secret about His Majesty's apparent lack of good skincare.
"I shook the King's hand, and it was rough, like a proper worker who does things with his hands," local resident Jacquie Gordon said of meeting her monarch.
King Charles' 'porky' and 'rough' hands have been a source of royal gossip for decades.
"Yes, he has a proper handshake, which I like," someone else in the crowd revealed.
The King and Queen met locals during their trip, which also included beer tasting for His Majesty. The monarch also lauded the island of Guernsey and included a nod to his predecessor as well.
"We were fortunate to meet so many islanders on that occasion and to see so clearly the great regard and affection for her late Majesty," the King said in a statement, highlighting his and the queen's last visit to the area in 2012 as part of the late Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. "We are delighted to be able to return once again, and we look forward to meeting more people from the wonderful islands."
King Charles received a peck on the check from a 91-year-old well-wisher when greeting the crowds in Guernsey, July 16, 2024.
Charles III's notably large hands have drawn public curiosity and speculation long before His Majesty was diagnosed with cancer. Several factors might explain this, including genetic inheritance, which plays a significant role as some individuals naturally have larger hands. Conditions like edema, characterized by swelling from fluid retention, can also make hands appear larger, particularly in response to heat or prolonged standing.
Arthritis, common with aging, leads to joint swelling and enlargement in the hands. Circulatory issues may also contribute, causing hand swelling due to poor blood flow. While the exact cause of King Charles's large hands cannot be determined without specific medical information, these potential explanations offer some insight into the phenomenon.
King Charles III is said to 'adore' Balmoral, but he and Queen Camilla prefer to stay nearby in their own private estate, Birkhall.
His hands were also featured in the 2023 royal documentary, Charles III: The Coronation Year, which tracked his first year on the British throne. The film included never-before-seen footage of rehearsals for the monarch's May 6 coronation, in which the King's sense of humor was on full display. In one exchange with his son and heir, Prince William, he even cracked a joke about his "sausage fingers."
The scene began with the Prince of Wales fitting the Stole Royal robe on his father before stating: "On the day it's not going to go in, is it?"
Charles III replied: "No, [But] you haven't got sausage fingers like mine!"
The King and king-in-waiting then erupted into a fit of laughter. There is another humorous scene between father and son in which William rehearses the moment he must kiss his dad's cheek during the homage. He tickles his father's face before quipping: "Your left cheek is better," to laughter from His Majesty.
The King and Queen of Great Britain receiving homage during the Special Sitting of the States of Deliberation of Guernsey Parliament, Guernsey, Channel Islands, U.K., July 16, 2024.
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GBN reported on the King's Guernsey trip.
