An analyst claims that Prince Harry tarnished his Invictus Games accomplishments by taking home the Pat Tillman Award in spite of the criticism he faced.
The prize was accepted by Harry, the Duke of Sussex, on July 11 during the ESPY awards ceremony. His beaming wife Meghan Markle, whose reactions were ones of pride, sat next to him.
According to Jennie Bond, a former royal correspondent, the Duke ought to have turned down the honor.
She told OK!, “This is a difficult situation for Harry, especially if Pat Tillman’s mother is accurately quoted as saying she does not want the award to go to the prince.”
“It would have been easier for Harry to politely decline the award rather than risk escalating controversy and bad press,” she said.
She continued, “His accomplishments in founding the Invictus Games have rightfully received praise from all around the world, so it seems foolish to damage that reputation by accepting an award that has grown so contentious.”
The Pat Tillman Award is created in honor of Pat Tillman, a former NFL star who enlisted in the US Army following 9/11 despite passing up a massive $3.8 million deal. In 2004, he was slain in Afghanistan.
