King Juan Carlos of Spain has been released from the hospital after spending a week in the hospital following a triple bypass on Saturday, 24 August at the Quirón de Pozuelo Clinic in Spain’s capital of Madrid. It was decided to have the procedure by the end of August after an annual check-up on 11 and 12 June.
Upon his discharge, the 81-year-old King Emeritus told the media as he headed home around 12:30, “I find it phenomenal, without pain and with new pipes.” He admitted he’d felt like a truck had run him over but was on the road to recovery.
A medical report released by the clinic said, “He is clinically stable, afebrile and with surgical wounds healing. Cardiological examination shows normal contractility and heart rhythm.”
He will continue to be under observation, as is normal with this type of procedure.
While in the hospital, several members of his family paid him visits including his son and daughter-in-law, King Felipe and Queen Letizia with their daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía. His wife, Queen Sofía and daughters, Infanta Elena and Infanta Cristina.
The King has been having different health troubles over the past few years. In 2010, he had a benign tumour removed from his right lung, and two years later, he fractured his hip in three locations which required surgery. He had another hip operation in September 2013.
King Juan Carlos came to the throne after the regime of dictator Fransico Franco fell in 1975 after Franco’s death. Franco had made Juan Carlos a Prince of Spain, mentoring him to continue his government once he had passed. However, when Juan Carlos became King of Spain, he brought democracy back to the country after decades of Franco’s authoritarian regime.
The former monarch retired from public duties on 2 June of this year – five years after his abdication in favour of his only son and youngest child, Felipe. His son now reigns as King Felipe VI.
