Oncologist Tells Us King Charles Looks Well Despite Royal Fans' Concern Over His Hands

Ever since King Charles III's heartbreaking cancer diagnosis in February 2024, royal fans have been keeping a close eye on him. Some have expressed concerns after seeing photos of him in March 2024 — more particularly, they're concerned because of the state of his hands. One photo shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, is a snapshot of Charles riding in a car. His right hand looks red and swollen, and a bandage can be seen on one of his fingers.

In photos of Charles with Ruslan Bolbocean, the Ambassador of Moldova, the redness and swelling in his hand are also visible. Following the release of those photos, The List spoke to hematologist and medical oncologist Chadi Nabhan M.D., MBA, host of the podcast "Healthcare Unfiltered" and author of the books "Toxic Exposure" and the forthcoming "The Cancer Journey" for Johns Hopkins University Press. Nabhan said the state of Charles' hand could be caused by chemotherapy, but overall, Charles looked to be well.

"The short answer is yes," Nabhan said. "Some of the chemotherapy agents that we use for various malignancies could have skin adverse events and side effects which range from discoloration to peeling and other problems."

Chadi Nabhan, M.D., MBA, said that there a few ways doctors will treat skin problems related to chemotherapy treatments. "Depending on the severity of the side effects, doctors and nurses utilize various ways to alleviate these using topical creams, lotions, and sometimes they may need to apply Band-Aids if there is skin breakdown," he said. After seeing King Charles III's hands, Nabhan said the royal had "some mild noted swelling, but I can't really comment as to why the swelling is there."

Despite swirling rumors and concerns, Queen Camilla and Princess Eugenie have insisted that Charles is "doing well." Nabhan said something similar. "The good news is that the king appears well despite these skin changes — he does not look in distress or that he has lost any substantial weight," he said. "More information is certainly needed to offer a more informed opinion."

Royal fans will be happy to hear that Charles seems to be doing all right, despite his cancer diagnosis and swollen hands. Catherine, Princess of Wales, understands what he's going through, as she's begun preventative cancer treatments. Amid Kate Middleton's diagnosis, Charles had touching words for her and cemented their deep bond.