Prince Harry can now ‘earn respect’ only with THIS one gesture amid mounting backlash
Prince Harry is under pressure to turn down the Pat Tillman Award due to criticism from commentators and military veterans.
Royal commentator Maureen Callahan advised Prince Harry to turn down the ESPY Pat Tillman Award to “earn respect” from fellow Americans.
Speaking to GBN America, Callahan suggested that declining the award could improve Harry's standing, as the honour has sparked significant backlash.
The Duke of Sussex is slated to receive the award, named after the American war hero Pat Tillman, in recognition of his work with the Invictus Games, a sporting event he founded for wounded, injured, and sick veterans.
The Pat Tillman Award for Service is bestowed upon individuals with a “strong connection to sports” who have also served their country.
Despite the noble cause behind the award, the decision has not been well-received by many, leading to calls for Harry to refuse it.
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Prince Harry is ‘immature’
“We have read about how Harry was protected by his fellow soldiers, that was another part of their job, and then in Spare, he bragged about his kill count as if it’s a video game,” she said.
“It reveals an immature mind. If he had an iota of intelligence, he would respectfully decline this award. He might actually get a little bit of respect for doing that.”
Callahan further explained, “I cannot tell you how galling this is to Americans,” and added, “Pat Tillman is a genuine hero for Americans. For anyone who doesn’t know, he was a former NFL player who gave up his career to voluntarily enlist after September 11 to go and fight, he was killed by friendly fire. This is a guy who represents what we like to think is the best of America. For Harry to not only be offered this award, but accept it unblinkingly is appalling to us.”
Royal Navy advised Prince Harry to turn down the award
Also Royal Navy Admiral Alan West advised Prince Harry to turn down the award or it would result in “rather bad publicity.” “I really think Harry should be well advised to sit back and not accept awards like this. It doesn’t travel well with people in the military,” he told the Daily Mail.
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“My advice to him is to sit back and not accept any awards at the moment. They are going his way because he has such a high profile and people want to take advantage of that.”
Harry, who completed two tours of Afghanistan, is preparing to accept the award at a ceremony hosted by ESPN, with tennis legend Serena Williams set to present it to him.
