Prince Harry Award Condemned by Hero Veteran's Mother

Prince Harry, seen during the Invictus Games Düsseldorf on September 9, 2023, is due to receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the ESPN ESPY Awards in July. Tillman's mother suggested someone less controversial should have been given the honor.

Prince Harry is a "a controversial and divisive" choice to receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service, according to Tillman's mother.

The Duke of Sussex will be given the honor at the 2024 ESPY Awards on July 11 in recognition of his work with the Invictus Games, his Olympics-style tournament for wounded veterans.

The award honors Tillman, a former U.S. Army Ranger and NFL star who died serving his country in Afghanistan in 2004.

Marie Tillman, the soldier's mother, told The Mail on Sunday she felt the organizers should have opted for a less famous name: "I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award.

"There are recipients that are far more fitting. 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. I feel that those types of individuals should be recognized."

The Invictus Games is Harry's biggest long term project, dating back to its first tournament in 2014. It has been praised around the world for the support it has given injured, wounded or sick servicemen and women.

In May, Harry traveled to Britain for a Service of Thanksgiving honoring the games at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, and then a follow up tour of Nigeria days later also celebrated Invictus.

Harry and wife Meghan Markle have won a series of awards since moving to America, including when he was inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation cohort in January.

However, the prince has also been mired in controversy, drawing criticism on both sides of the Atlantic for his repeated swipes at the British monarchy.

There was fierce debate after he included a passage in his book Spare in which he revealed how many Taliban fighters he had killed during his own frontline tour of Afghanistan, where he was the co-pilot gunner on an Apache.

Harry wrote: "While in the heat and fog of combat, I didn't think of those twenty-five as people. You can't kill people if you think of them as people. You can't really harm people if you think of them as people.

"They were chess pieces removed from the board, Bads taken away before they could kill Goods. I'd been trained to 'other-ize' them, trained well. On some level I recognized this learned detachment as problematic. But I also saw it as an unavoidable part of soldiering. Another reality that couldn't be changed."

ESPN, which is behind the award, said in a statement: "ESPN, with the support of the Tillman Foundation, is honoring Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, specifically for the work of The Invictus Games Foundation as it celebrates its 10th year promoting healing through the power of sport for military service members and veterans around the world.

"While we understand not everyone will agree with all honorees selected for any award, The Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating."

Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

Do you have a question about Charles and Queen Camilla, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.

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