Prince Harry experienced his spouse, Meghan Markle, by his facet at the 2024 ESPY Awards on Thursday, July 11.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, attended the ceremony — which was held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles — with Markle, 42. Whilst the duo didn’t walk the purple carpet for the celebration, they have been spotted sitting jointly in the course of host Serena Williams’ opening monologue.
“Prince Harry and Meghan are below, let’s give it up for them. But please, Harry and Meghan consider not to breathe also much tonight mainly because this is my night,” Williams, 42, joked, “and I really do not want to be overshadowed by the accusations that you two are having up too a great deal oxygen.”
Harry was on hand to obtain the Pat Tillman Award for Company, an honor bestowed upon an specific with a sturdy link to sports who has assisted many others in a way that embodies Tillman’s legacy. Tillman was a basic safety for the Arizona Cardinals from 1998 to 2001 and was killed in overcome when serving as a U.S. Army Ranger in Afghanistan in 2004.
Harry was selected as the receiver of the award due to his 10 a long time of company in the British Armed Forces and his function with the Invictus Games. Kate Jackson, ESPN’s vice president of manufacturing, said in a June statement that it was the network’s “privilege” to realize Harry, noting that he has applied his platform “to improve the planet and make it far more inclusive for marginalized and suffering communities, demonstrating incredible resilience, positivity and perseverance.”
In spite of ESPN’s glowing evaluation, Tillman’s mother, Mary Tillman, criticized the network’s preference of Harry for the award.
“I am shocked as to why they would find this sort of a controversial and divisive personal to acquire the award,” she advised the Each day Mail in June. “There are recipients that are far a lot more fitting. There are people today working in the veteran community that are undertaking huge matters to guide veterans.”
She additional: “These people do not have the funds, assets, connections or privilege that Prince Harry has. I experience that all those forms of men and women need to be recognized.”
ESPN finally stood by the conclusion to applaud Harry’s achievements with the award.
“ESPN, with the aid of the Tillman Foundation, is honoring Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, precisely for the function of The Invictus Game titles Basis as it celebrates its 10th calendar year selling therapeutic by way of the energy of sport for military support users and veterans close to the globe,” the network claimed in a assertion to Us Weekly. “While we understand not absolutely everyone will concur with all honorees picked for any award, The Invictus Video games Basis does extraordinary get the job done and ESPN believes this is a trigger worthy of celebrating.”
In March, Meghan uncovered how Harry has been there for her all over the couple’s ups and downs in the general public eye.
“I’m privileged in that, amid the privileges I have in my everyday living, I have an unbelievable companion,” she explained at South by Southwest though discussing on line bullying and the results of social media. “My spouse is these kinds of a palms-on dad and this kind of a supporter of me and my family members. That I really don’t choose for granted. … That is a real blessing. But a lot of folks don’t have that identical degree of assistance.”