Prince Harry 'stunned' after receiving backlash over his nomination for Pat Tillman Award, claims source

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Prince Harry was “stunned” by the strong criticism he received following his nomination for the Pat Tillman Award, named after an American war hero who was killed in Afghanistan.

The Duke of Sussex, 39, is set to receive the award in recognition of his efforts with the Invictus Games at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles on July 11.

Pat Tillman, an American football star who gave up a £3 million contract to enlist in the US Army after 9/11, tragically lost his life at the age of 27 in friendly fire while serving in Afghanistan two decades ago.

Prince Harry faces backlash for Pat Tillman Award nomination

Sources claimed that criticism of the Duke of Sussex regarding his military service and veteran advocacy efforts has been difficult to accept, dubbing it as, "bitter pill to swallow."

"Harry's legacy on Invictus, the things he has achieved, that's his real passion" they stated. "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," the tipsters added as per the Daily Mail.

The source likened this backlash to a previous instance when Harry, renowned for completing two tours of Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot, was recognized as a Living Legend of Aviation in Beverly Hills, California, in January, alongside luminaries such as astronauts Buzz Aldrin and James Lovell. 

Admiral Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy, bluntly remarked, "He is not a living legend."

The latest backlash began almost immediately after ESPN announced on June 27 that Harry would receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service.

A petition urging ESPN to reconsider its decision garnered nearly 68,000 signatures within ten days.

It emphasized, "Pat Tillman exemplified duty, honor, and sacrifice. He gave up his successful NFL career to serve his country after the 9/11 attacks, and tragically lost his life during his service. Awarding this honor to someone who does not reflect the award's intent diminishes its value and disrespects Tillman's memory."

Former NFL player Pat McAfee also weighed in, stating, "We should celebrate sports. The worldwide leaders should celebrate sport but doing something like this is obviously trying to p*** people off."

He suggested creating a new category specifically for the duke: "How about it's like ESPY for Royal Family member who doesn't want to be called 'Royal Family member' who loves sports?"

ESPN defends its nomination of Prince Harry

The ESPY Awards, hosted by ESPN (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly), features the prestigious Pat Tillman Award, previously bestowed upon unsung heroes.

Last year, it honored the Buffalo Bills football team training staff for their heroic efforts in reviving a player on the verge of death on the field.

ESPN cited that Harry was being recognized for his 'dedicated efforts in positively impacting the veteran community through the power of sport' with his Invictus Games.

Former recipient of the Pat Tillman Award defends Prince Harry

Jake Wood, a previous recipient of the Pat Tillman Award, defended Harry stating, "He's a royal prince, there's 100 different things he could have done with his life after his service in the British Armed Forces but he's chosen to dedicate a big portion of his post-military life to helping veterans"

Pat Tillman gained admiration when he left his lucrative career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist as an Army Ranger. He served in Iraq and later in Afghanistan, where he tragically died from friendly fire in 2004. Tillman was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his bravery.

A spokesperson for ESPN had previously remarked, "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 the power of sport for military service members and veterans around the world."

They concluded, "While we understand not everyone will agree with all honourees selected for any award, The Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating."

Internet dubs Prince Harry a 'despicable' person after being nominated for Pat Tillman Award

After learning about Prince Harry's reaction to the backlash regarding his nomination for the Pat Tillman Award, many social media users have shared their comments on Facebook.

While one user said, "He should do the right thing and ask that they award it to someone else," another criticized, "It’s an insult to the legacy of Pat Tillman to name the whipped Prince Harry for the award."

One user declared, "Prince Harry is sooo DUMB," and another stated, "This man was disloyal, mean and cruel to his family, all for the sake of his wife, money and power! Despicable "person!" 

Someone else claimed, "Now we don’t like him either.

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