HISTORIAN and biographer Hugo Vickers says royal fans will eventually become “bored” with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “telling their story”.
Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive programme, Hugo discussed the Pat Tillman Award for Service, for which the Duke of Sussex has been nominated.
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The Sun’s royal editor Matt Wilkinson said: “Harry is receiving this award for his services but also for his work with Invictus Games.
“But his [Pat Tillman’s] mother [Mary Tillman] is incredibly upset about this.
“How do we feel about this? Is it uncomfortable that he is winning this award?”
Hugo replied: “I think it’s a bit uncomfortable – he doesn’t need to win an award.
“I think what he’s done with Invictus Games is brilliant – and I’m glad he’s still doing things for them. That is great.
“But the problem is that it’s tied into this whole need for reinvention and advertising and things like that, which they’re always doing.”
Matt added: “With this award…[Pat’s] mother said he [Harry] shouldn’t have that.
“And there is a question of whether members of the Royal Family should receive awards like this. The Royal Family hands out prizes.”
The expert said: “They [royals] They should distribute them, they should, for sure.
“Sometimes it is an award that highlights the people who present it and is useful for the member of the royal family to receive it. I can understand that this would be useful.
“What worries me is that there will be more publicity for Prince Harry.
“It seems to me that they have a problem, those two [Harry and Meghan].
“They told their story, I don’t know how they can keep telling their story, and eventually people will probably get bored with it, I imagine.
“The difference between what they are [Harry and Meghan] doing and what the British Royal Family is doing – the British Royal Family is working for the nation, the Commonwealth, and Harry and Meghan seem to be working for themselves.
“And that’s always unattractive, I think.”
Referring to Mary Tillman’s response to Harry’s appointment, Matt said: “The opposition to this backfired. Appearing at an award and the mother of the award named after said she doesn’t want Harry [to win it].
Harry and Meghan appear to be working on their own.
Hugo Vickers
“It’s a terrible look – I fear he has been pushed into this award somehow and will be used by others to get publicity for the award.
“I don’t want anything bad to happen to Prince Harry, we wish him all the best.
“But I worry about the direction they are going, showing up, winning awards and causing controversy.”
The Pat Tillman Award is an award given at the ESPY Awards (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly), administered by the sports TV network ESPN.
Past Winners of the Pat Tillman Award for Service
2023 – The Buffalo Bills training staff, which performed life-saving measures on Damar Hamlin.
2022 – Gretchen Evans, retired Army Command Sergeant Major for founding Team UNBROKEN.
2021 – Marcus Rashford, footballer honored for fundraising for charity during the Coronavirus Pandemic.
2020 – Kim Clavel, boxing champion who returned to breastfeeding during the Coronavirus Pandemic.
2019 – Kirstie Ennis, former Marine Corps sergeant.
2018 – Jake Wood, former Marine and college football player.
2017 – Israel Del Toro, former Air Force sergeant and Paralympic world record holder.
2016 – Elizabeth Marks, former US Army sergeant and paraswimmer.
2015 – Danielle Green, former Notre Dame basketball player, veteran and Purple Heart recipient.
2014 – Joshua Sweeney, former Navy gold medalist and Paralympian.
It was created after Pat Tillman, a former NFL player turned Marine, was killed while serving in Afghanistan.
For the past 10 years, the Pat Tillman Award for Service has previously been given to unsung heroes — “to a person with a strong connection to the sport who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and Army Ranger from the USA, Pat Tillman”, explains ESPN.
What did Mary Tillman say about Prince Harry’s appointment?
In conversation with the Daily MailMary said: “I am shocked as to why they selected such a controversial and controversial individual to receive the award.
“There are recipients who are much more suitable. There are individuals working in the veteran community who are doing incredible things to help veterans.
“These individuals do not have the money, resources, connections or privileges that Prince Harry has.
“I think these types of individuals should be recognized.”
Why was Prince Harry nominated for the Pat Tillman Award?
ESPN said Harry was being honored for his “tireless work in making a positive impact for the veteran community through the power of sport” with his Invictus Games.
An ESPN spokesperson responded to the backlash by saying: “ESPN, with the support of the Tillman Foundation, is honoring Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, specifically for the work of the Invictus Games Foundation as it celebrates its 10th year promoting healing through power of sport for military personnel and veterans around the world.
“While we understand that not everyone will agree with every honoree selected for any award, the Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating.”
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