Royal Watch News

King Juan Carlos leaves hospital

Apr 19, 2012, 12:01 GMT

King Juan Carlos

King Juan Carlos has left hospital.

The 74-year-old monarch - who was injured while on an elephant-hunting excursion to Africa - had a hip replacement at the USP San Jose Hospital in Madrid on Saturday (14.04.12) after he fell in his hunting lodge - also apologized for going on the trip while his country is in the midst of an economic crisis.

He said: 'I'm very sorry, I made a mistake. It won't happen again.'

In addition to the economic outcry over the trip - which cost an estimated $47,796 per person - there has been a further backlash about Juan Carlos' holiday.

The king is honorary president of the Spanish branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and has faced calls to resign from his position after it emerged he had been hunting elephants.

Juan Carlos del Olmo, the secretary general of WWF Espana, said: 'It's a problem of the image it sends nationally and internationally rather than the issue of elephant conservation in Botswana.'

The king's wife Queen Sofia said yesterday (18.04.12) her husband was feeling 'very well'.

Speaking after a two-hour hospital visit, she said: 'He is very well and in very good spirits. He has a good appetite and will come out of hospital soon.'