Prince Harry accepted the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday. The Duke of Sussex received the award in recognition of his work with the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style competition he founded for wounded service members.
“I stand here not as Prince Harry, Pat Tillman award recipient, but rather a voice on behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service personnel from over the 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games a reality,” Harry said. “This award belongs to them, not to me.”
“That said, it’s of great importance to me to highlight these allies, athletes and their amazing families for their achievements, their spirit and their courage at every opportunity. Especially on nights like this in front of people like you,” he continued. “Moments like these help us reach those that need Invictus most and reduce more than 20 veterans a day taking their own lives in this country alone.”
Harry went on to share what’s in store for Invictus this year. “We’re celebrating ten years of witnessing life changing impact and healing through sport,” he said. “While so much progress has been made since those first games, the world outside seems to be in an even more precarious state. We live in an age marked by polarization and division. Conflicts rage around the globe, anger and resentment towards those who are different seem to pervade societies everywhere.”
“Our community challenges that,” he added. “Our community proves that unity is not just possible, but formidable. The beauty of the Invictus Games lies in how it brings people together. No matter one’s nationality, background or personal struggles.”
“It is a collective built from courage and mutual respect, where athletes discover time and time again the common denominator of their humanity,” he said.
Ahead of the ESPY Awards, ESPN, which airs the ESPYs, said Harry was among those being honored for his work in using his platform to, “change the world and make it more inclusive for marginalized and suffering communities, demonstrating incredible resilience, positivity and perseverance.”
Harry, who served in the British Army for 10 years, hosted the first Invictus Games in London in 2014. The Games have since taken place in Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, Dusseldorf, and The Hague.
During his decade of military service, which ended in 2015, Harry rose to the rank of Apache helicopter commander. Known as Capt. Harry Wales in the Army, he was deployed to Afghanistan twice, from 2007 to 2008 and then again from 2012 to 2013.
In 2012, the British Defense Ministry named Harry the best front-seat pilot, or co-pilot gunner, from his class of more than 20 fellow Apache helicopter pilots.
Before taking the stage, Harry was honored by past Pat Tillman award recipients Sergeant Kirstie Ennis, Sergeant first class Elizabeth Marks and Sergeant Israel Del Toro. He asked them to stay on stage with him as he accepted his award and thanked the Tillman family, particularly Pat Tillman’s mother, for the honor.
“Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect,” Harry said. “The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
The 2024 ESPYs, which honors the best athletes and sports figures, were hosted by tennis legend Serena Williams, who is known to be a friend of both Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. The couple was seen in the audience applauding after Ciara’s electrifying performance at the start of the show. Williams also gave the couple a shout out to the couple on stage during her opening monologue and joked, “But please, Harry and Meghan, try not to breathe too much tonight. Because this is my night. And I don’t want to be overshadowed by the accusations that you guys are taking up too much oxygen.”
Williams attended the couple’s wedding in 2018, and reportedly co-hosted a baby shower for Meghan in New York City in 2019. Meghan has supported Williams on the court, traveling from London to New York in 2019 to watch Williams play in the U.S. Open final.
