Leaders of the Spanish branch of the World Wildlife Fund have decided to get rid of the post of honorary president, held until now by King Juan Carlos.
King with Bank of Spain president.
The group said that 94 percent of its leadership voted for the action today, which comes amid controversy over Don Juan Carlos’ elephant hunting trip to Botswana.
“Even though this type of hunting is legal and regulated,” the group said in a statement, “it has been considered incompatible by many associates with the honorary presidency of a group like WWF.”
Leaders of the Spanish branch of the World Wildlife Fund is meeting later this month to decide whether to keep King Juan Carlos as honorary president of the organization, according to local media reports.
The July 21 meeting comes as a result of His Majesty’s elephant hunting trip earlier this year. Critics have said the King’s love of hunting is incompatible with the WWF’s mission.
The Royal Household said the King will respect whatever leaders decide.
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth’s husband, is WWF’s President Emeritus.
Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia at a military ceremony in Talarn today.
Doctors have decided to release King Juan Carlos from the hospital after his recent hip replacement surgery, the Royal Household said today. They say he is enjoying “satisfactory” recovery.
Recognizing the fallout from his huntring trip last week, His Majesty apologized for his actions.
The King said: “I am hoping to return to my obligations. I am very sorry. I have made a mistake and it will never happen again. Thank you for your concern.”
The Spanish branch of the World Wildlife Fund is expressing concern and requesting a meeting with the Royal Household over King Juan Carlos’ elephant hunting trip to Africa, where he suffered a hip fracture last week.
WWF outlined its concerns in a letter released today, as politicians and Spaniards debated the King’s trip, which many see as lavish and insensitive to the county’s economic woes. WWF in Spain questions whether the King can continue as the group’s honorary president.
Juan Carlos del Olmo, the group’s secretary general, said there was an “enormous backlash” to the King’s hunting activities, even if they were legal. He said people around the world were expressing “energetic protest.”
Queen Sofia (Right) and Princess Letizia
Meanwhile, Queen Sofia visited her husband today. She said he was showing “phenomenal progress.” Doctors said he may be out of the hospital soon.
His recovery, however, means that he won’t be able to make it abroad to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years as British monarch.
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