Tillman’s mom says Harry is unfit

ESPN has defended its decision to honor Prince Harry with the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2024 ESPYs — despite blowback from the late hero’s mother, Mary Tillman.

‘I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,’ Mary told the Daily Mail. ‘There are recipients that are far more fitting,’ she added. ‘There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.’

(The New York Post, July 2, 2024)

Simply put, if Harry has any honor and self-respect left, he would decline this Award. He should issue a public apology to the ESPYs and offer condolences to Mrs. Tillman for the loss of her son.

But I suspect Harry will show up and gladly collect this award to display with all the others he’s collected as public indulgences. He and Meghan seem to think the more awards they grasp, the more credible their grift.

Harry might be stunned by the backlash, but he is not humbled.

Now Harry’s neither a royal nor a soldier

But the irony cannot be lost even on a dunce like Harry. After all, Harry was born into a family whose members dedicated their lives to service. And he distinguished himself by even serving his country in combat.

Like Edward VIII, however, Harry sensationally abandoned his royal duties for love. Of course, Edward was stripped of his crown; Harry was merely stripped of his role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps.

Even so, it’s hardly surprising that he ended up vesting his self-esteem in what remained of his military service — as patron of the Invictus Games. Harry founded the Games in 2013 as a multisport event for wounded, injured, and ill servicemen and women.

By all accounts, he has been as spirited and involved as patron of the Invictus Games as his father, King Charles, was as patron of The Prince’s Trust. Charles founded the Trust in 1976 to help disadvantaged children.

There’s no denying Harry’s heroic military service or his charitable work on behalf of veterans. That’s why Mrs. Tillman is wrong. Because, if you’ve seen any report on his patronage, you know that Harry is eminently deserving of this award. But she has every right to voice her disagreement and dismay.

Harry has lost his charm

Still, imagine the blow to this now exiled prince of having his military service dissed by America’s most famous and influential Gold Star mom. No doubt he expected to wow Americans as a dashing prince. But thanks to their Netflix docuseries and his tell-all memoir, most Americans see him as little more than a pussy-whipped whiner.

In a series of commentaries, I warned that Harry would rue the day he jumped from the English frying pan into the American fire. Granted, that day might’ve been when he married Meghan Markle.

But this is only the latest humiliation to vindicate my warning. Indeed, viral images of Harry looking like a fish out of water at a Beyoncé concert serve as a perfect metaphor: Meghan is living her best life, while he is living a wistful one.