Prince Harry Receives Pat Tillman Award at ESPYs Amid Controversy

 At yesterday’s ESPYs Awards presentation at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, Prince Harry received the Pat Tillman Award, even though veterans had asked him to reject it.

Speaking on behalf of the slain soldier’s mother, Harry praised her son as “special” and said that other warriors deserved greater honors.

While attending an event organized by Serena Williams, a close friend of Meghan Markle, the Duke of Sussex also made reference to the “eternal bond” shared by Mary Tillman and Princess Diana.

At the event on July 11, Harry accepted Mr. Tillman’s Pat Tillman Award—a tribute to his dedication to veterans worldwide—and reached out an olive branch to his mother, Mrs. Tillman.

As Harry paid homage to the sacrifices of injured warriors and praised the Invictus Games, Meghan beamed brightly and talked of his “respect” for the preservation of Ms. Tillman’s son’s heroism and legacy.

“Her defense of Pat’s legacy is something very personal, and I respect it,” he said. “The bond between mother and son is an eternal one that transcends even the greatest of losses.”

Even though Mary Tillman wasn’t physically present at the event, she was there as a witness to the fact that Harry would receive the award, which was named after her husband, Pat.

Notably, over 76,000 people signed a petition requesting the decision be canceled, and Harry was the target of requests to refuse the award due to the fact that it is often given to unknown combat heroes.

“There are far more suitable recipients,” Mary Tillman said in an interview she gave to The Mail last month, expressing her dismay that the honor would go to “such a controversial and divisive figure.”