Surgery for king after breaking hip

SPAIN: King Juan Carlos of Spain has undergone hip replacement surgery following a fall on a private trip to Botswana.

The king, above, suffered a triple fracture of the hip, which the royal palace said was “linked to arthritis”.

This is the fourth operation the 74-year-old king has had in the past two years.

Earlier this week, his 13-year-old grandson was treated in hospital after shooting himself in the foot.

King Juan Carlos underwent surgery yesterday at the San Jose Hospital in Madrid. The palace said: “Juan Carlos had suffered a fracture of his right hip in three pieces, linked to arthritis. A reconstruction of the parts of the fracture was carried out and a hip implant installed.”

The palace added that the fall was “accidental” but gave no further details, although the Spanish daily El Pais said the king was hunting elephants at the time.