Prince Harry Receives Pat Tillman Service Award At ESPYs After Tillman’s Mom Expressed Her ‘Shock’ & Disapproval

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, paid tribute to his late mother, Princess Diana, while accepting the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2024 ESPY Awards on July 11.

During his acceptance speech, Harry made a subtle reference to Diana, who died in a car accident in 1997. “The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses,” he said while discussing Mary Tillman, mother of the award’s namesake.

The duke attended the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre with his wife, Meghan Markle. The award recognizes individuals with strong sports connections who have served others. Harry was honored for founding the Invictus Games, an international sports competition for wounded, injured, and sick service members.

The decision to present Harry with the award faced criticism, with over 76,000 people signing a petition calling for its reversal. Critics, including former Royal Navy chief Lord West, argued that the award typically goes to unsung veterans.

At the ceremony, Tillman’s mom, Mary Tillman, who had expressed “shock” at Harry receiving the award, looked on during the duke’s speech.

Despite the controversy, ESPN defended its choice, citing Harry’s role in establishing the Invictus Games. In his speech, Harry dedicated the award to “the entire service community” and emphasized the importance of supporting veterans.

“Tonight, we celebrate healing through sport,” he said, concluding with a message to veterans worldwide: “We will leave no one behind.”

Tennis star Serena Williams, who was present at the ceremony, jokingly addressed the royal couple’s attendance. “Prince Harry and Meghan are here, let’s give it up for them,” Williams said. “But 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 accusations you guys are taking up too much oxygen.”

This public appearance comes on the heels of Harry’s recent candid discussion about grief. In a June video for the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports children who have lost parents in military service, Harry spoke about the challenges of dealing with loss at a young age.

“If you suppress this for too long, you cannot suppress it forever, it is not sustainable and it will eat away at you inside,” he said in the video. “Once realizing that if I do talk about it, and I’m celebrating their life, then actually, things become easier.”

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