A promotional video for this year’s ESPY Awards has once again sparked outrage after it previewed Prince Harry’s appearance accepting an award for his efforts.
The 39-year-old Duke of Sussex will be honoured with the Pat Tillman Award for Service for his work with the Invictus Games tonight at the glittering ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.
Tillman, an American football star who gave up a multi-million dollar contract after 9/11 to join the US Army, saw his life tragically cut short at the age of 27 when he was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004.
“Tonight was made for royalty,” read the caption of the promotional video posted to Instagram. “Join Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, Quinta Brunson and a special performance by Ciara at the #ESPYS at 8/7pm on ABC!”
Users on social media expressed their outrage.
A promotional video for this year’s ESPY Awards has sparked outrage again after it previewed Prince Harry’s appearance accepting an award for his efforts
Tillman was lauded in the US after he gave up his lucrative career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist as an Army Ranger. He served in Iraq and then Afghanistan, where he was killed in 2004.
“Unbelievable. What a joke,” one user commented.
Serena Williams, a close friend of Meghan Markle, will host this year’s ESPYs.
She posted a promo on her X account in which she satirically warms up her voice next to a sign that reads “Silence please.”
The caption read: ‘Nobody tells me what to do tomorrow/Watch me host the ESPYS!’
Some users suspect that Prince Harry is only receiving an award because of a ‘quid pro quo’ deal between Williams and the Duke.
There is no evidence to support this claim. Harry is praised for his service in the British Army and for setting up the Invictus Games for wounded veterans.
“We knew the ESPY Awards were bought and sold when Caitlyn Jenner made a deal with ABC to receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in exchange for his first interview as a trans woman,” one angry user wrote.
“We know you made a return favor for Harry.”
Serena Williams – a close friend of Meghan Markle – will host this year’s ESPYs
Outrage over Prince Harry’s award has been going on for weeks, with many Americans calling on him to turn down ESPN’s Pat Tillman award.
Pat’s mother Mary Tillman has criticised the decision to give Prince Harry an award in honour of her late son, saying she was not consulted.
“I am shocked that they selected such a controversial and divisive person to receive the award,” she said.
“There are recipients that are much more appropriate. There are people who work in the veteran community who are doing great things to help veterans.
“These people don’t have the money, the resources, the connections or the privileges that Prince Harry has. I think these people need to be recognised.”
The ESPY Awards (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) are organized by the sports television network ESPN and the Pat Tillman Award has previously been given to unsung heroes.
Last year the award went to the coaches of the American football team Buffalo Bills who brought a dying player back to life on the field.
ESPN reported that Harry was honored for his “tireless efforts to positively impact the veteran community through the power of sports” with his Invictus Games.
A petition with more than 68,000 signatures is demanding that ESPN remove Harry from the awards because he was “involved in controversies that call into question his suitability to receive an award of this magnitude.”
New Jersey resident and petition initiator Patti Mickel said “the Pat Tillman Award should be representative of his values and honor someone who, like Tillman, has shown an unwavering commitment to his team and country.”
“Granting this honor to someone who does not reflect the intent of the award diminishes its value and is a disrespect to Tillman’s memory.”
Pat Tillman received widespread praise in the US after he gave up his lucrative career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist as an Army Ranger.
He served in Iraq and then Afghanistan, where he was killed by friendly fire in 2004. For his bravery, he was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.
Prince Harry (pictured with Meghan) was ‘stunned’ by the negative reactions he received after being nominated for the award
The Duke of Sussex completed two tours of Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot
One of the petition’s signatories, Tania Smith, said, “Pat Tillman embodied service and sacrifice, he did his patriotic duty,” but “Harry represents none of those qualities.”
She added: ‘He has publicly disrespected his family, walked away from serving his country as a member of the royal family… He is unworthy of this award.’
A source said: “It’s incredibly painful that the family had no say in this. Pat Tillman was a unifying force for good. Harry is a divisive figure… There are many unsung heroes who deserve it far more.”
An ESPN spokesperson said: ‘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 anniversary of advancing healing through the power of sport for service members and veterans around the world.
“While we understand that not everyone will agree with all of the nominees for an award, the Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating.”