Saturday, September 21, 2013

Here to stay

The king's health, and speculation he would abdicate, were top Twitter topics in Spain after it was announced the monarch was to have his eighth surgery since 2010.

“The King has not thought of abdicating at any time,” palace spokesman Rafael Spottorno told journalists at a news conference called to give details of the surgery on his left hip, which is expected to take place in Madrid in the next few days.

Miguel Cabanela, a Spanish-born resident surgeon at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, has flown to Madrid to lead the operation.

The 75-year-old king, who uses a walking stick, has appeared visibly more frail in recent months and stumbled at a military ceremony last week. Both of his hips have been replaced and in March he had an operation on a spinal disc hernia.

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