Prince Harry was reportedly surprised by the backlash to his Pat Tillman award nomination from sports cable broadcaster ESPN after the late war hero’s mother came out publicly against the Duke of Sussex.
Harry, 39, will receive the gong – which is named in memory of late NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman – at this year’s ESPY Sports Awards on July 11 in recognition of his Invictus Games foundation.
However, the late soldier’s mother Mary Tillman slammed ESPN for honouring the Duke of Sussex and pointed out there were “more fitting” recipients for the award.
“I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,” she told British newspaper the Daily Mail last week.
“There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.”
According to Sussex insider Richard Fitzwilliams, the Duke of Sussex was privately “stunned” at the backlash from Ms Tillman.
“It’s a very, very sad situation, and I think this is one of the reasons Mary Tillman, the mother of Pat, believes that Harry isn’t fit, and that is a wasted opportunity,” he told The Sun newspaper on Sunday.
“In my opinion, I think it’s been a tragedy all round.”
Meanwhile, a source close to the Sussexes told The Telegraph the backlash had deeply upset Harry, who “truly feels at home” in the United States.
“This is the space in which he truly feels at home, it is something he deeply cares about,” the source said.
“The reaction certainly took the shine off the award.”
Harry, 39, has also weathered speculation his wife Meghan Markle used her A-list friends to secure the award for her husband via tennis star Serena Williams.
On Saturday, British newspaper editor and royal commentator Charlotte Griffiths joined the chorus of calls for ESPN to rescind the honour and alleged Meghan Markle may have stepped in to secure the award for Harry.
“Serena Williams is presenting the award and she’s a very good friend of Meghan Markle,” she said.
“I have to think, I have to wonder if Meghan’s got her fingerprints on this.”