King Juan Carlos ‘sorry’ for holiday as Spain struggles

The 74-year-old monarch, who suffers from osteoarthritis, broke his hip in Botswana and was flown back to Spain for emergency replacement surgery on Saturday.

But there has been little sympathy for the monarch, whose trip angered animal conservation groups, because the king is also honorary president of the Spanish branch of the World Wildlife Fund.

Thousands of messages have been posted on social media sites, demanding his resignation from the position.

And with his subjects bearing the brunt of a massive austerity programme as Spain tries to avoid becoming the next casualty of the eurozone meltdown, the Spanish media have been indignant about his trip, which came to light only because of the accident.

“I’m much better… I’m very sorry. I made a mistake and it won’t happen again,” the king told reporters outside his hospital room in Madrid’s San Jose hospital. He has since left hospital.

‘Role model’

Spain is struggling with a massive public deficit and soaring unemployment. More than half of young Spaniards between 16 and 24 are out of work.

Last month, the Spanish government revealed plans to cut 27bn euros (£23bn) of public spending by reducing departmental spending by 17 per cent and freezing public sector pay, in what it called its “most austere cuts ever”.

With Spain’s political leaders facing growing anger, the focus has turned in recent weeks on the role of the monarchy. More vocal support for the beleaguered king came on Wednesday when, during a trip to Mexico, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy singled him out as a role model, saying the monarch had dedicated himself to his country for years.

“The king of Spain is the best ambassador for Spain, but also the stoutest defender of the community of Ibero-American countries in the whole world,” Mr Rajoy told a news conference after meeting Mexican President Felipe Calderon.