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Prince Harry praised his “eternal bond” with Princess Diana while accepting the Pat Tillman Award for veterans amid an intense backlash.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, was given the honour for his work with the Invictus Games, which celebrates the sporting achievements of wounded, sick or injured service people.
It is named after the late Pat Tillman, a former American footballer who gave up his career to serve in the US military in the wake of 9/11. He was subsequently killed in Afghanistan in 2004.
The award is given to veterans who have similarly made an impact through sport, but many argued that there were more deserving recipients than the prince, including Mr Tillman’s mother, Mary.
“I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,” she told the Daily Mail. “There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.
“These individuals do not have the money, resources, connections or privilege that Prince Harry has.”
A Change.org petition was launched against the duke, urging ESPN to “rethink” its decision to give him “to receive an honour of this magnitude”.
“He has faced accusations of endangering his squadron by publicly revealing military kills,” it read.
The petition added: “The prince also allegedly targeted his own father, Prince Charles, during a flyover.
“More recently, his role in the Invictus Games, a platform meant to celebrate the resilience and dedication of veterans, has been criticised as self-centred.”
The petition had received over 70,000 signatures at the time of the duke’s acceptance at a ceremony in Los Angeles yesterday (11 July).
Prior to this, the former head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Lord Alan West, urged Harry to decline the award as it would not “travel well with people in the military”.
“I really think Harry should be well advised to sit back and not accept awards like this,” he told the Daily Mail.
“It doesn’t travel well with people in the military. And when the mother of the man who died doesn’t want him to get this award, he should think about that.”
The host of yesterday’s ESPY Awards, tennis star Serena Williams, appeared to make light of the controversy surrounding not only Harry but his wife, Meghan Markle, who was in attendance.
Williams, who is a close friend of the former Suits star, said: “Please Harry and Meghan, try not to breathe too much tonight, because this is my night, and I don’t want to be overshadowed by the accusations that you guys are taking up too much oxygen.”
In his acceptance speech, Harry praised Mr Tillman’s mother Mary and took the opportunity to praise the late Princess Diana.
“Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal, and one that I respect,” he said.
“The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
He praised the work of the Invictus Games, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, as a force for unity in an increasingly divided world.
Harry, who founded the event in 2014, said: “While so much progress has been made since those first games, the world outside seems to be in an even more precarious state.
“We live in an age marked by polarisation and division. Conflicts rage around the globe. Anger and resentment towards those who are different seem to pervade societies everywhere.
“Our community challenges that. Our community proves that unity is not just possible, but formidable.
“The beauty of the Invictus Games lies in how it brings people together, no matter one’s nationality, background, or personal struggles.
“It is a collective, built from courage and mutual respect, where athletes discover time and time again, the common denominator of their humanity.
“Having survived the crucible of armed combat, and forged through the challenge to rebuild bodies and minds impacted by conflict, they form a family.
“They exemplify the very best in all of us.”
The prince stressed that the award did not “belong” to him but to everyone involved in the games.
“I stand here not as Prince Harry, Pat Tillman Award recipient, but rather a voice on behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service personnel from over 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games a reality,” he said.
“This award belongs to them, not to me.”
