Prince Harry received backlash after ESPY announced he would receive the Pat Tillman Award. The prince has said nothing until recently.
The ESPY Award Ceremony
Mirror reports Prince Harry was recently awarded the ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance and Achievements) award, inspired by Pat Tillman.
Sportsman Turned Army Ranger
Pat was an excellent sportsman before he became a US ranger. He dedicated himself to everything he did, whether sports or serving his country.
ESPY and Invictus
The ESPY Awards honoured sportsmen and women as well as Veterans. Veterans who served the country, some living with their battle scars, while others, like Pat Tillman, gave their lives.
Remembering Patrick Tillman
Patrick “Pat” was a brave ex-footballer who left his football career to serve his country. He served in the US Army and was awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, the Meritorious Service Medal, Silver Star, and a Purple Heart. He also received the United States Sports Academy Humanitarian Award.
Pat Tillman
Pat served from 2022 until his death in 2024. ESPY granted Prince Harry the Tillman EPSY award, and many were outraged.
Mary Tillman Wasn’t Happy
CBS News reported that Pat’s mother, Mary Tillman, disagreed with the organisation’s decision to allow Prince Harry to pick up the award.
Others “More Fitting”
Mary Tillman told the Daily Mail that she was shocked that they would choose a “controversial and divisive” person like Harry. “There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans,” Mrs Tillman said. She also told the news outlet that she thought there were recipients far more fitting and deserving of the award.
Others Agree With Mary
Many other people protested that Harry shouldn’t receive the award. Change.org saw more than 70,000 signatures signing a petition asking the organisation to reconsider giving Harry the award.
Invictus Helping Veterans
Prince Harry launched the Invictus Games in 2014. The program is dedicated to honouring and helping active and veteran service men and women. It is designed to help them manage physical and invisible injuries sustained while serving.
Sports Module
The Invictus Games is a competitive sporting occasion amongst veterans. It has various sports events that help showcase veterans’ resilience and team spirit.
Deserving of the Award
According to reports, the ESPY organisation saw Prince Harry as the ideal recipient of the Pat Tillman Award. The prince was doing good work with the Invictus Games to help wounded, injured, and sick (WIS) servicemen and women.
Harry’s Speech
Prince Harry gave a speech at the award acceptance ceremony, focusing on servicemen, women, and veterans. He thanked Mary Tillman and spoke of a mother and son’s unfailing bond. Something he gravitates to when remembering his late mother, Princess Diana.
Deep Feelings and Relation Towards Mother and Son
Harry opened his speech with a moving message about mother and son. “…Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect. The bond between mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses,” the Duke of Sussex said in his speech.
Congratulating the UK Winter Invictus Team
Mirror reports say the Prince, Duke of Sussex, congratulated the 64-person team representing the UK team in the Invictus Winter Games. This will also be the very first time a winter variation of Invictus Games would take place.
500 Competitors in the Winter Invictus Games
The Mirror reported there are 500 competitors representing 20 nations across the world. The games will adopt a winter variation much like the Olympic games. Harry expressed his excitement at seeing the competitors showcase their passion, commitment, and resilience.
Games at the Winter Invictus
The Winter Invictus will include alpine skiing and snowboarding, amongst others. Harry said it was a wonderful time for the family to connect and share something memorable and exciting.
Notable Competitors
Amongst the UK Winter Invictus Games team’s competitors is “Hoops” Stephen Hooper, who served in the Royal Air Force (RAF). Juliet Bale is another athlete who also served in RAF as a medical nurse.
Other Backlash
Prince Harry faced similar criticism and backlash when he was awarded the Living Legend of Aviation earlier this year. This award honours celebrity pilots like John Travolter, Angelina Jolie, and Tom Cruise, to name a few. It also awards businessmen and people in aerospace and aviation. The backlash on Harry’s receiving this award was dubbed a “publicity stunt.”
Public Opinions are Split
The public is always split in their feelings about The Duke of Sussex. Since stepping down as a working royal in January 2020, he has moved to Montecito, USA, with his wife to lead a more “quiet” and “private” lifestyle.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / NataliaCatalina.com.