Monday marked the 61st birthday of Prince Edward, and the occasion was made extra special as the royal received a sentimental gift from outside of his family. On his big day, it was announced that King Charles' youngest brother had been named Royal Patron of The Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court Palace, where the traditional game of real tennis is played. While patronages are often close to the hearts of the royal family, real tennis is particularly important to Prince Edward, with reports saying that Edward and his wife Sophie were brought together by a mutual passion for the ancient sport, which the Duke began playing at university. According to The Royal Tennis Court, the Duke of Edinburgh is a devoted player of real tennis and has visited the Hampton Palace court on numerous occasions. So dedicated is her to the sport, in November 2018, His Royal Highness completed a tour of all 50 playable real tennis courts worldwide to raise awareness and support for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. The tour concluded with a visit to the Royal Tennis Court at Hampton Court Palace, followed by a grand gala dinner in The Great Hall. What is real tennis? Real tennis is a rather unique hobby in this day and age – only played by around 7,000 people in the world. Unlike normal tennis, real tennis is played indoors, with balls more akin to cricket balls. They're handmade and solid, while the rackets used are wooden. Players of real tennis need to be extremely fit, as there are no breaks during play. Prince Edward's birthday Aside from celebrating his exciting new role, it's unknown how Prince Edward will be celebrating his birthday. One thing is for sure though – his brother King Charles and sister-in-law Queen Camilla won't be involved, as they're joining a 2,000-strong crowd at Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day service. The Prince and Princess of Wales will be in attendance too, so they won't be around to celebrate Edward's birthday, and his wife, Duchess Sophie will be absent too, as she is in New York City. The Duchess of Edinburgh also visited the Big Apple for Commonwealth Day back in 2022, spending four days in the American city. With his daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, 21, likely spending the day at St. Andrews University, where she is studying, and his son James, Earl of Wessex, 17, at school in Oxfordshire, we hope Prince Edward has plans with friends to keep his busy this evening!