Prince Harry's future award nominations in doubt after huge backlash to ESPYS
Prince Harry is at risk of "never winning another award" after facing mass criticism over his nomination for service, a royal expert has claimed
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Prince Harry is at risk of "never winning another award" after facing mass criticism over his nomination for service, a royal commentator has claimed.
The Duke received the Pat Tillman Award for founding the Invictus Games ten years ago.
Ahead of the awards ceremony, Harry was urged by Admiral Lord Alan West - a First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff from 2002 to 2006 - to turn down the accolade.
Mary Tillman also slammed the nomination as she dubbed the Duke of Sussex a "controversial and divisive individual" after it was announced Harry would be handed the award named after her son.
Prince Harry is at risk of "never winning another award" after facing mass criticism over his nomination for service, a royal expert has claimedGettyFollowing the death of Pat Tillman - a former NFL player who enlisted in the US Army following 9/11 - the awards were launched in his honour.
The Pat Tillman Award for Service is "given to a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and US Army Ranger, Pat Tillman".
A source claims the backlash surrounding the Duke has been difficult for him as he has spent so many years working to help veterans.
"Harry’s legacy on Invictus, the things he has achieved, that’s his real passion," they told The Telegraph.
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"This is the space in which he truly feels at home, it is something he deeply cares about. The reaction certainly took the shine off the award."
Admiral Lord Alan West warned the Prince that "he ought to think very hard and long" about accepting particular awards.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said the award "was never going to be withdrawn".
"There was no question Harry would accept this. The award was never going to be withdrawn," he told The Sun.
A source claims the backlash surrounding the Duke has been difficult for him as he has spent so many years working to help veterans
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Prince Harry has accepted a military award despite calls for him to reject the accolade after the mother of a dead war hero condemned the DukeGetty"But there's the fact that 70,000 people apparently have felt that it shouldn't be.
"And that Pat Tillman's mother, Mary, thought that he was not of a character the sort of person who should get it.
"I think that any award that doesn't want controversy will think twice before awarding it to either the Sussexes in the future."
Harry appeared to ignore the criticism and accepted the award on Thursday.