Prince Harry faced quite the storm when he received the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the ESPYs, but boom! Despite the backlash over the award, a dramatic shift occurred when the media’s attention moved to Donald Trump surviving an assassination attempt.
Donald Trump after the shooting at his rally. (Photos via AP) pic.twitter.com/gPrXRygxAn
— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 13, 2024
The Duke of Sussex, who accepted the honor in Los Angeles, was never the favorite choice for the award. However, PR expert Eric Schiffer told Newsweek that Prince Harry’s reputation took only a minor hit. “He will absolutely survive this, partly because the media cycle moved on so quickly to the Trump incident,” Schiffer explained.
Pat Tillman, who left a successful NFL career to serve as a U.S. Army Ranger after 9/11, tragically died in 2004. Traditionally, the award named after him honors individuals who make significant contributions to sports and community service. However, Pat Tillman’s mom, Mary Tilman, voiced her disapproval saying that “There are recipients far more fitting.”
"No matter the road ahead, we are here for you. We will leave no one behind.”
-Prince Harry after accepting the Pat Tillman Award for Service ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8VBXBggYP4
— ESPN (@espn) July 12, 2024
Despite the media uproar, Prince Harry still received a standing ovation from the audience, who seemed to be more supportive than his detractors on the media and the Internet. While he received negative attention before getting the award, Donald Trump’s news provided the Duke of Sussex a room to breathe amid his public media crisis.
