Prince in town to promote awards

ROYAL watchers will get the chance to catch up with HRH the Earl of Wessex in Hobart next week.

The Queen’s youngest son will be in the state from April 9 to 10 as part of his Australian visit to attend the Commonwealth Games and promote the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.

On April 10, Prince Edward is slated to unveil a plaque followed by a meet and greet with the public at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.

The Prince will also play a game of real tennis on each of the five courts in Australia to promote the sport that he took up while doing his Gold Award as well as raising funds to support disadvantaged youth undertaking the award.

The Hobart Real Tennis Club, founded in 1875, is one of the oldest sporting clubs in the southern hemisphere.

It is the oldest real tennis club in Australia and one of the oldest active clubs in the real tennis world.

Real tennis is the original game from which the lawn version (and every other racquet sport) was derived.

The prince is known to be a big fan of tennis and is the patron of the internationally renowned Tennis and Rackets Association.

Hobart members of the club have also been invited to attend a formal dinner with the prince at Government House on April 9 with funds raised going to the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.

The prince will attend a total of 32 engagements across Melbourne, Ballarat, Hobart, Brisbane, and Adelaide, including formal receptions, award presentations, and meetings with government officials, the community sector and award participants and their families.