Prince Harry's Risky Reentry: Duke Crashes Pat Tillman Honors Ceremony in Chicago Months After 'Disgracefully' Collecting Award

Prince Harry appeared at the Pat Tillman Foundation's 20th annual Tillman Honors in Chicago on Wednesday, November 6.

This follows his controversial acceptance of the Pat Tillman Award at the 2024 ESPY Awards in July.

"There's the fact that 70,000 people apparently have felt that it shouldn't be," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told an outlet about the fiery-haired princes' acceptance of the award. "And that Pat Tillman's mother, Mary, thought that he was not of a character the sort of person who should get it."

The prince attended the glitzy gala this past summer with Meghan Markle, although the ex-working royals conspicuously skipped walking the red carpet to pose for photographs and field press questions.

"There was no question Harry would accept this," he added. "The award was never going to be withdrawn. I think that any award that doesn't want controversy will think twice before awarding it to either the Sussexes in the future. It's remarkable. It helps wounded and disabled service men and women, both in the services and veterans, and no one is casting any aspersions on that."

The commentator then added: "What isn't ideal is that Harry's idea of service is very, very questionable."

Harry and Meghan's infamous "Megxit" in early 2020, which found the Duke and Duchess of Sussex leaving their roles as public servants and Britain itself, is considered by many to be a "serious dereliction of duty and selfishness and its finest."

"They (Duke and Duchess of Sussex) blindsided the late Queen Elizabeth by announcing they were stepping back, and then it led to them stepping down as senior working royals," Fitzwilliams continued.

The Pat Tillman Award, named after the late NFL player and Army Ranger who was killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2004, is intended to honor individuals who exemplify service and leadership. While Harry’s Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women, aligns with these values, some critics have argued that Harry’s nomination was undeserved.

Tillman's mother said that there "are recipients that are far more fitting" than the fiery-haired prince who wrote a bestselling book that attacked members of his family.

Despite the backlash, Harry used the ESPY Awards platform to shift focus away from himself and towards the participants of the Invictus Games, which some analysts say is why he showed his face "at another Pat Tillman-focused event."

GBN reported on Harry's Chicago appearance.