King Juan Carlos of Spain underwent hip replacement surgery during the weekend after an accident in Botswana, where he had gone to hunt elephants, which spurred criticism of the monarch’s lifestyle at a time when the country is coping with an economic crisis.
Surgery on the 74-year-old king took place on Saturday in Madrid, according to news reports, after he suffered a triple hip fracture during what the royal household called a private hunting trip to Africa. He has had several health problems recently.
Some politicians, rather than expressing sympathy, asked that the royal household provide further details on its financing.
The king suffered his hip injury on Thursday after missing a stair step, according to Spanish news media. He was then flown back to Madrid in a private jet.