The prince needed considerable treatment when he broke his arm

Three months after his fall, the prince needed a second operation because one of the fractures he suffered failed to heal, causing him a lot of pain.

Bone taken from the his hip was packed around the break and a metal plate was secured with screws.

He was discharged from hospital after a week, and within a year he was able to continue playing polo.

However three years later, he was hurt again during a game of polo at Windsor, when he aggravated an old back injury.

He had also been forced to miss Royal Ascot in 1991 because of what his hospital consultant described as a "serious degenerative disc problem", with one disc at the base of his spine prolapsed.

Saturday was not the first time Prince Charles has been hurt while fox hunting.

The prince's hunting hobby has led to a number of injuries

In January 1998 he broke a rib after falling from his horse during a hunt on the north Wales border.

Despite the discomfort, he insisted on trekking in the Himalayas a few weeks afterwards during an official visit to Nepal and Bhutan.

Three months later he was back in hospital undergoing laser keyhole surgery on his right knee.

It was believed that his troublesome cartilage was caused by the wear and tear of years of sport and exercise.