Prince Harry may have compromised his chances of receiving future accolades due to the significant backlash following his acceptance of a controversial honor, according to a royal expert.
The Duke of Sussex accepted the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2024 ESPYs during a star-studded ceremony last Thursday, despite objections from Pat Tillman’s mother.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told The Sun that there was no intention to change plans despite the criticism. "There was no question Harry would accept this. The award was never going to be withdrawn," he stated. "But there's the fact that 70,000 people apparently have felt that it shouldn't be."
Fitzwilliams further noted that Mary Tillman, Pat’s mother, believed Prince Harry was "not of a character the sort of person who should get it."
Last month, Mary Tillman expressed to the Daily Mail her shock at the decision, stating there were "far more fitting" recipients for the award than the "controversial and divisive" Prince Harry.
The royal commentator concluded, “I think that any award that doesn't want controversy will think twice before awarding it to either of the Sussexes in the future.”
