Prince Harry praised his “eternal bond” with Princess Diana while accepting the Pat Tillman Award for veterans amid an intense backlash. The Duke of Sussex, 39, was given the honour for his work with the Invictus Games , which celebrates the sporting achievements of wounded, sick or injured service people. It is named after the late Pat Tillman , a former American footballer who gave up his career to serve in the US military in the wake of 9/11.
He was subsequently killed in Afghanistan in 2004. The award is given to veterans who have similarly made an impact through sport, but many argued that there were more deserving recipients than the prince, including Mr Tillman’s mother, Mary. “I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,” she told the Daily Mail .
“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.” A Change.
org petition was launched against the duke, urging ESPN to “rethink” its decision to give him “to receive an honour of this magnitude”. “He has faced accusations of endangering his squadron by publicly revealing military kills,” it read. The petition added: “The prince also allegedly targeted his own father, Prince Charles, during a flyover.
“More recently, his role in the Invictus Games, a platform meant to celebra.