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Prince Harry praised his “eternal bond” with Princess Diana as he accepted the Pat Tillman Veterans Award amid intense backlash.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, received the honour for his work with the Invictus Games, which celebrate the sporting achievements of wounded, sick or injured servicemen.
It is named after Pat Tillman, a former American footballer who left his career to serve in the US Army after the September 11 attacks and was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.
The award is given to veterans who have made a similar impact through sport, but many argued there were more deserving recipients than the prince, including Tillman's mother, Mary.
“I'm shocked that they chose such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,” she told the BBC. Daily Mail“There are people working in the veteran community who are doing tremendous things to help veterans.
“These people don’t have the money, the resources, the connections or the privileges that Prince Harry has.”
A Change.org petition has been launched against the duke, urging ESPN to “rethink” its decision to bestow him “an honour of this magnitude”.
“He has faced accusations of endangering his squadron by publicly revealing military deaths,” it reads.
The petition added: “The prince also allegedly attacked his own father, Prince Charles, during a flight.
“More recently, his role in the Invictus Games, a platform intended to celebrate the resilience and dedication of veterans, has been criticised for being self-centred.”
The petition had received more than 70,000 signatures by the time of the Duke's acceptance at a ceremony in Los Angeles yesterday (July 11).
Earlier, former Royal Navy chief Admiral Lord Alan West urged Harry to reject the award because it “would not be well received by people in the military”.
“I really think Harry would do well not to accept awards like this,” she said. Daily Mail.
“This is not well received by the people in the military. And if the mother of the man who died does not want him to receive this award, she should think about it.”
Yesterday's ESPY Awards host, tennis star Serena Williams, appeared to make light of the controversy surrounding not only Harry but also his wife, Meghan Markle, who was in attendance.
Williams, who is a close friend of the former Suits The 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 accusations that you are consuming too much oxygen.”
In his acceptance speech, Harry praised Tillman's mother, Mary, and took the opportunity to praise the late Princess Diana.
“Her defense of Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and I respect that,” he said.
“The bond between mother and child is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
He praised the work of the Invictus Games, which recently celebrated their 10th anniversary, as a force of unity in an increasingly divided world.
Harry, who founded the event in 2014, said: “While great progress has been made since those first games, the outside world seems to be in an even more precarious state.
“We live in an age marked by polarization and division. Conflicts are raging around the world. Anger and resentment towards those who are different seem to pervade societies around the world.
“Our community challenges that. Our community shows that unity is not only possible, but formidable.
“The beauty of the Invictus Games is how it brings people together, regardless of their nationality, background or personal struggles.
“It is a collective, built on courage and mutual respect, where athletes discover again and again the common denominator of their humanity.
“Having survived the crucible of armed combat and overcome the challenge of rebuilding bodies and minds impacted by conflict, they form a family.
“They exemplify the best in all of us.”
The prince stressed that the prize does not “belong” to him, but to all those involved in the games.
“I am here not as Prince Harry or as the Pat Tillman Award winner, but as a voice on behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service personnel from more than 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games a reality,” he said.
“This award belongs to them, not me.”
