Prince Harry has been a member of the British military for a decade and ended his career at the rank of captain in June 2015. However, it is his Invictus Games Foundation that has kept him connected to his military roots. The Duke, through Invictus, offers a recovery pathway for injured and sick Army veterans. His impact through the foundation in both the sports and military worlds earned him two prestigious awards this year, one that he has already received and another that he is about to. 

Critics, however, do not see eye to eye with either of his award nods and argue he does not deserve them. 

Prince Harry is a recipient of the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2024 ESPN ESPY Awards, which was announced this Thursday. Ever since the announcement surfaced, critics have showered the Duke with scrutiny. Pat McAfee, a sports analyst and former NFL punter, has now added to that list of critics. According to the Express, McAfee said Prince Harry’s nomination for the Pat Tillman Award is "probably the most embarrassing thing"' he has seen in life.

McAfee further went on to take a jab at the Duke, saying he does not know anything about Prince Harry other than his South Park parody or what he has learned from Netflix's The Crown. He believed that "there are probably hundreds, if not thousands of people" who would have been more deserving of the award than Prince Harry. This became the second time this year that the 39-year-old faced such intense criticism over an award nomination.

Prince Harry’s Invictus Games Suffers a Huge Blow as Veterans Exit Condemning ‘Meghan Markle’s Involvement'

Ephraim Hardcastle, a royal commentator and journalist, shared how Prince Harry’s Living Legends of Aviation award was an insult to his grandfather, who was a British Army veteran and pilot. 

Prince Harry received his Living Legend of Aviation award in January this year for his accomplishments in aviation. This nomination sparked a lot of controversy. Ephraim Hardcastle, in an interview with the Daily Mail, shared that this award "would have his grandfather Philip rotating in his grave". He also mocked the Duke’s aviation skills, claiming he "can't actually fly a helicopter".

Even retired military officer Colonel Richard Kemp shared that while Prince Harry has contributed to the Army, he did not have any special accomplishments in flying compared to other pilots during his tenure. And much like back then, even concerning the Pat Tillman Award, it is said to be more about his celebrity status than the true spirit of the award.

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What do you think about Prince Harry’s Pat Tillman Award? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!