MADRID - Spain's King Juan Carlos, 81 and
the father of the current head of state King Felipe VI, left
hospital on Saturday one week after undergoing heart surgery, a
regional head for the Hospital Quiron said.
"His Majesty the King Don Juan Carlos was discharged this
morning, he is clinically stable the cardiological
examination shows a normal cardiac rhythm," said Lucia Alonso,
Quiron's regional head said.
Juan Carlos, who retained the title of emeritus King after
his abdication in 2014, joked with journalists as he was taken
away in a car outside the hospital on the outskirts of Madrid.
"It's as if a truck has passed over you but now once the
truck has been removed new piping, phenomenal," he said
with a smile on his face to journalists.
In May, Juan Carlos announced his decision to withdraw from
public life, giving up his remaining institutional functions and
appearances from June.
The king played a critical role guiding Spain to democracy
after the death of dictator Francisco Franco, but his 40-year
reign was tarnished in later years by accusations that he was
out of touch with ordinary people, especially during the
economic crisis in 2008-14.