On Thursday, Prince Harry made an appearance at the ESPY Awards, where he received the Pat Tillman Award for Service, as wife Meghan Markle watched from the audience. Though Mary Tillman, the mother of the NFL player-turned-soldier who died in 2004, expressed dissatisfaction about the decision to give the award to the prince, Harry praised her work in shepherding Tillman’s legacy as he accepted the statuette.
“I’d like to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to everyone at the Pat Tillman Foundation, led by Marie Tillman Shenton, who I’m so honored is here tonight,” he said. “I’d also like to acknowledge the Tillman family, especially Mrs. Mary Tillman, Pat’s mother. Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect. The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
In a June press release, ESPN announced that Harry had been selected for the award in recognition of his role with the Invictus Games and “tireless work in making a positive impact for the veteran community through the power of sport.” Mary Tillman, who is not listed as a leader of the foundation that bears her late son’s name, later told the Daily Mail, she thought Harry was “a controversial and divisive individual.”
During the televised ceremony at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, Harry accepted the award following a tribute from three veterans who were participants in the Invictus Games. In his speech, Harry dedicated the award to the injured service members who have competed since the foundation began in 2014. “The truth is, I stand here not as Prince Harry, Pat Tillman award recipient, but rather a voice on behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service personnel from over 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games a reality,” he said. “This award belongs to them. Not to me.”
Harry and Meghan, who wore a white halter dress by Staud, went directly to their seats, skipping the red carpet. Longtime friend of the couple Serena Williams served as the night’s host, and during her opening monologue, she joked about their ubiquity in the media. “Please, Harry and Meghan, try not to breathe too much tonight,” she said. “Because this is my night and I don’t want to be overshadowed by accusations you guys are taking up too much oxygen.”