The Spanish royal family have been visiting Infanta Elena's son Felipe Juan Froilan in hospital, where the 13-year-old is recovering after accidentally shooting himself in the foot.
King Juan Carlos' grandson was doing target practice with a 36 calibre shotgun outside the family home in the province of Soria, north of Madrid, when the accident happened.
He misfired into his right foot while walking, and it is thought the safety catch of the gun may have been off. The youngster was taken to a hospital in Soria for treatment, before being transferred to a private clinic just outside Madrid for surgical cleansing of his wound.
Princess Letizia and Crown Prince Felipe brought their daughters Sofia and Leonor to see their cousin. Queen Sofia also visited, pausing to give an update as she left the hospital with Felipe's mum. "Felipe is doing great," said the queen. "Children recover quickly." Infanta Elena said that after getting over the shock, she felt calm after talking to the hospital team.
"He's already playing with his father's mobile," she said of her son. "He'll be out of hospital in a few days, that's what the doctors say." Felipe was with his father Jaime de Marichalar (top picture), who is divorced from Elena, when the accident happened.
Under Spanish law children under 14 are not permitted to handle firearms. Jaime could face a fine, but an investigation is yet to be opened. The accident holds painful reminders of the royal shooting accident which took place 56 years ago. King Juan Carlos, then 18, accidentally shot his younger brother, 14-year-old Alfonso, who died in the incident.
