Doctor Soothes Fears For Queen’s Health After Monarch Is Pictured With Purple Hands
16:16 GMT 19.11.2021 (Updated: 15:24 GMT 28.05.2023)
© AP Photo / Steve Reigate
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The news comes as the latest concern about the 95-year-old monarch's health. On 20 October, the Queen had to scrap her visit to Northern Ireland after doctors advised her to rest for a few days. That day she was kept in King Edward VII's hospital for what Buckingham Palace said were "preliminary investigations".
Queen Elizabeth II delighted royalists after Buckingham Palace released a photo showing the monarch carrying out a face-to-face audience at Windsor Castle with the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, only days after she was forced to forego the Remembrance Sunday service at the Whitehall cenotaph because of a back ache. However, the image also prompted concerns after social media users noticed one particular detail – the Queen’s hands were purple.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets Britain's Chief of the Defence Staff, General Nick Carter, during an audience at Windsor Castle, west of London on November 17, 2021
© AFP 2023 / STEVE PARSONS
The concerns soon blew up into a storm of conjecture about the 95-year-old's health, but experts have moved quickly to soothe any worries. Dr Jay Verma, from the Shakespeare Medical Centre, told local media that parts of the body may turn purple because of Rayanaud’s phenomenon, which is when blood vessels spasm for any number of reasons, including stress, emotional upset or cold.
The condition is common and does not usually cause severe problems, Dr Verma said. It can be treated by keeping warm.
GP Giuseppe Aragona said there could be many reasons the monarch’s hands turned purple: "A lack of circulation, frail skin, exposed veins, bruising, leakage of blood to the tissue beneath the skin causing the colour," as well as deoxygenated blood.
The condition is common and does not usually cause severe problems, Dr Verma said. It can be treated by keeping warm.
GP Giuseppe Aragona said there could be many reasons the monarch’s hands turned purple: "A lack of circulation, frail skin, exposed veins, bruising, leakage of blood to the tissue beneath the skin causing the colour," as well as deoxygenated blood.
"Blood which has a normal amount of oxygen is a deep red and means your skin is its normal colour. However, low oxygenated blood is more blue which causes your skin to have a purple hue," Dr Aragona said.
He noted that the condition is likely the result of the monarch’s recent injury. The Queen, who hasn’t been seen at in-person events for a month, recently suffered a back sprain which caused her to miss the Remembrance service at the Cenotaph. The event, which honours the members of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty, is one of the most important events in the monarch’s calendar.
Buckingham Palace said the Queen was "deeply disappointed" to miss the service. Her son and heir, Prince Charles, laid a poppy wreath on her behalf.
Buckingham Palace said the Queen was "deeply disappointed" to miss the service. Her son and heir, Prince Charles, laid a poppy wreath on her behalf.
