SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you!

Spain

Infanta Elena of Spain taken to hospital after fall

Her Royal Highness Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo was taken to hospital yesterday after falling from her horse during an afternoon practice on the grounds of Zarzuela Palace.

After the incident, she was treated on scene by a team of doctors for an injury to her wrist. The doctors then decided it was best for her to be taken to the nearest hospital by ambulance for more observation. Fortunately, her injury from the fall is not thought to be severe. ABC News reported that Elena will be treated by orthopedic doctor Ángel Villamor, who has previously treated her father, King Juan Carlos. The former king suffered a hip injury last June that required an operation. He has also treated her paternal aunt, Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria and Hernani.

The Infanta is a keen horseback rider, and this is not the first time she has suffered a fall by riding. During a practice in 1986, Elena was thrown from her horse, where she suffered a crack in a vertebra and sprained her wrist. In 2004, Her Royal Highness was injured after her horse stumbled during a competition in Santander, Spain. On that occasion, she was treated by the medical personnel at the Campa de la Magdalena tournament.

She is known to practice at both Zarzuela Palace and Club de Campo de Madrid. The love of horses runs in her family as her daughter, Victoria Federica de Marichalar also competes in equestrian events.

Elena, 52, is the eldest child of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain and an older sister to Spain’s current monarch, King Felipe VI. She was married to Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada with whom she has two children: Felipe and Victoria. They divorced in December 2009. She is third in the line of succession to the Spanish throne after her two nieces, Leonor, Princess of Asturias, 10, and Infanta Sofía, 9.

Her father abdicated in favour of her younger brother, Felipe on 19 June 2014.

About author

Brittani is from Tennessee, USA. She is a political scientist and historian after graduating with a degree in the topics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2014. She also holds a master's degree from Northeastern University. She enjoys reading and researching all things regarding the royals of the world. She's been researching, reading, and writing on royalty for over a decade. She became Europe Editor in October 2016, and then Deputy Editor in January 2019, and has been featured on several podcasts, radio shows, news broadcasts and websites including Global News Canada, ABC News Australia, WION India and BBC World News.

2 Comments

Comments are closed.