Eden: Prince Harry accepting the Pat Tillman Award is part of a ‘PR strategy’

The British media and (I suspect) the royal establishment are very upset that Prince Harry will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the ESPYs. Nevermind that the award is backed by the Tillman Foundation and ESPN and they’re not backing down in the face of yet another British-led hate campaign. The Brits now think that they can lay a very strange guilt trip on Harry for accepting the award. They’ve created a narrative where Harry must “turn it down,” for reasons like “he removed his wife and children from our abuse” and “he dared to correct the record on decades of lies.” The Mail columnist Amanda Platell had an especially unhinged piece about this a few days ago, and then of course Richard Eden had to do a follow-up. Eden is pointing out that King Charles gave Prince William the Army Air Corps patronage, and Eden is basically saying that Harry is mad that he wasn’t allowed to continue to serve the British military and… that’s why he’s accepting an award in America. Quite an argument: the sadistic Windsors punished Harry by removing his military patronages, therefore America is wrong to give him awards.

Prince Harry will have been further wounded, say old friends, to see his brother, Prince William, handed the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps by their father, King Charles, at a colourful ceremony at Middle Wallop, Hampshire, last month. There is a poignancy to the location, as Middle Wallop is where Harry, 39, did his training before serving with the Army Air Corps as co-pilot in Apache attack helicopters in Afghanistan. There was a time when the younger brother could legitimately have expected to be given the Army Air Corps role himself. For, although William, 42, went on to pilot helicopters with the search and rescue service of the Royal Air Force, he has never been involved in active conflict. Harry’s decision to quit royal life means that he is no longer eligible for such honorary roles, however.

‘Harry was genuinely hurt that he was not allowed to retain his formal links to the military,’ one British friend of the Prince tells me. ‘They meant the world to him.’

In the absence of new honours from the King, Harry has taken to accepting awards in the U.S., his adopted homeland. And the latest of these has proved contentious. The ESPY Award is just the latest honour the Duke has accepted since he moved to California. Among the others was the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award, presented to Harry and Meghan for the work they have undertaken in ‘promoting racial equality, social justice and mental health’.

A showbusiness source in the US tells me: ‘These awards are great for keeping Harry and Meghan in the news. They boost their profile at a time when they are not producing much work. Their agents love awards, too, as they keep everyone happy.’

For now. The backlash over the Pat Tillman Award suggests that the American public might be starting to see this unending stream of awards and honours and something of a public relations strategy. For frontline members of the Royal Family, honours are merely part of the role, whether it’s taking up a senior position with a military regiment or receiving a new decoration, such as the Family Order worn by Queen Camilla at last week’s state banquet for Japanese Emperor Naruhito. Yet, today, Harry and Meghan are free of the constraints of monarchy – an institution which they appear to hold in contempt. Why would they want or need regular new honours?

Indeed, if Harry had any honour, he would turn down the Pat Tillman Award and let the event’s organisers present it, instead, to someone who puts the values of self-sacrifice and service before personal gain.

[From The Daily Mail]

Something isn’t clicking for me, maybe I’ve lost my ability to understand their rantings at this point, but what is the argument here really? Mary Tillman has a right to her opinion, and the Tillman Foundation and ESPN have the right to ignore her and continue to highlight Harry’s work and the work of Invictus. I still have no idea why and how Mary Tillman came to give her (kind of ridiculous) statement to the Mail, but it’s been made abundantly clear why the award is going to Harry. It’s not some hokey faux award, it’s not like the Sussexes show up to the opening of an envelope (I wish!!) and it’s not like the Windsors are not CONSTANTLY giving each other awards, honors, orders, ribbons, medals, etc. What are we even doing here?

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

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69 Responses to “Eden: Prince Harry accepting the Pat Tillman Award is part of a ‘PR strategy’”

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  1. Dee(2) says:

    “Yet, today, Harry and Meghan are free of the constraints of monarchy – an institution which they appear to hold in contempt. Why would they want or need regular new honours?” I’m not understanding the argument here, since Harry and Meghan are no longer working royals they should no longer get any sort of awards? Is this in the vein of their continued drum beat that only the royals can do or lead a life of service, and that anyone else that attempts is just faking it? I think that the Daily Mail thought that having Mary Tillman come out against the award was going to be the death kneel and that ESPN was going to rescind it. Instead you had past award winners defending Harry’s right to have it, so now it’s he should turn it down. They absolutely don’t want a huge audience watching a reel on all the work Invictus does and how involved he is without any assistance or support from the BRF. I actually read an article on fairly right wing site this weekend that defended Harry for getting it saying there’s no one that encompasses the spirit of the award more than him ( I was shocked too, had to double check it was the same website).

    • equality says:

      I made the same type comment about awards and honors below. (Great minds think alike.) Some outlets coming around to defending PH may be a sign that the RF/RR have seriously overplayed their hands.

    • bisynaptic says:

      You have to go back, to read the prior sentence: “For frontline members of the Royal Family, honours are merely part of the role, whether it’s taking up a senior position with a military regiment or receiving a new decoration…”

      What he’s saying is that the BRF have a monopoly on the fake doodad dress-up self-congratulatory thingies. Harry’s muscling in on their action!

      They absolutely don’t want a lot of people watching the awards show and learning about Harry’s work with IG.

      • Christine says:

        Agreed, well said.

      • Where'sMyTiara says:

        The BRF’s self-granted “honours” are a sham.

        Harry’s earned plaudits in the public sphere are absolutely real, and absolutely the result of his own hard work, and not his parentage.

        This is what has the Rota Rats birling.

        The Schroedinger’s Outraged Reporter thing is old, tired, STALE. They were mad about his aviation award. They were mad people thronged to him to help celebrate 10yrs of Invictus Games. They’re mad about the ESPY award.
        They’re outraged that “he’s turned up for the opening of an envelope” – whether he’s accepting one, or even when he was in a hosting capacity at the NFL event many months ago.

        I’m old enough to remember that they were mad that he and Meghan WEREN’T cropping up at every glam Hollywood red carpet awards thing. They expected it. They wanted it. Because they are desperate for the Sussex Star Power that brings their sad, stale, pathetic articles clicks. The Rota are desperate to be noticed by the Sussexes and granted access. The BRF are desperate to be acknowledged and tied to the Sussexes’ success. By cutting the Sussexes off, the BRF has cut itself out, and with them the British Media.

        The only way to “heal the breech” is for the BRF to cut all ties with the media and join Harry in suing Murdoch et al. Workshy Wanderdick would never, b/c he’s already taken his Judas silver for selling out Harry. And Cluck would never, because too many in the press already have kompromat on him in their safes. Tales will be told about Cluck that would end the monarchy.

      • harpervalleypta says:

        And that quote just makes all the preceding stuff about William taking the role of Harry’s former unit even worse.

        Harry: upset that he no longer has the role of the unit he FOUGHT IN COMBAT WITH.

        William: Meh, it’s just part of the job, just another decoration, not a big deal to me.

        You’d think that they’d toe the line on how “important” these roles and “responsibilities” are, but nope, he’s saying the truth out loud.

    • sevenblue says:

      While writing articles about why Harry shouldn’t get the awards, Daily Mail ignored his military service and Invictus. They tried to explain it like Harry is getting the award because he is a Prince and a rich man. You must have a personal vendetta to support this view, which even American right wing media doesn’t have.

    • Wagiman says:

      This is Maureen. Nothing he /she says ever makes sense.. That’s actually the point. He /she is nothing but a paid troll. Lies are their currency.

      • Agreatreckoning says:

        Just when you think Richard/Maureen couldn’t out word salad himself-he does it again.

        ‘Harry was genuinely hurt that he was not allowed to retain his formal links to the military,’ one British friend of the Prince tells me. ‘They meant the world to him.’

        A true ‘British friend’ of Harry’s ain’t talking to Harry. Harry himself, I believe, has mentioned this. Not a big secret to reveal.

        I’m sure that all of the military members/veterans that showed up at Dusseldorf IG and other events were a balm to the petty Firm’s behavior.

      • Agreatreckoning says:

        Ack. Meant ‘ain’t talking to Richard/Maureen’.

      • Angie says:

        I think sick old Maureen is after some free royal jam and some more doggie biscuits! He’s a nasty little b*tch part of the mean girls club!

    • TheFarmer'sWife says:

      While Harry is likely once again disappointed by his Salty Isle family’s response to his receiving the Pat Tillman award, he probably expected nothing less at the same time.

      We need to stop talking about the beyond-entitled and self-indulgent royals who think work is being chauffeured to an event where people are waiting for them and cheering (please ignore the egg tossing and not my king chants). Individuals who think service is wearing unearned uniforms and medals while constantly gifting themselves ridiculously long made-up titles and mean-nothing honours. Princes who create worthless foundations (I’m looking at you Earth Sh*t), to meet famous people and create sidewalk photo shoots to feel important. Individuals who unembarrassedly live off public money (while accepting bags and suitcases of cash for “charity”), plus owning dozens of homes…

      How on earth can any of them grasp the concept of receiving an award for creating an organization that truly helps wounded veterans all around the world? All this throwing up and raging against Harry is money-making clickbait for the tabloids and a distraction from what’s really going on with the royal family, which is not much of anything at all.

    • swaz says:

      CONGRATULATIONS HARRY 🎈🎈🎈 A WELL DESERVED AWARD.

    • yupyup says:

      What makes it even more of a self own is that they are also promoting PH work and IG all the time. Every time they make fun, downplay, try to take credit or straight up lie about his military work and IG everyone is paying attention. I watched Heart of Invictus just to spite them over being salty that H&M had Netflix money and I was on the edge of my seat. I wish it had been streamed. I felt all the feelings and more of the Olympics. Also no matter what they are at home actively in some castle looking at each other is devastated screams that PH got ANOTHER award! They can’t sleep, eat, function because PH is thriving and will continue to thrive. I’m going to take a whole week off when IG gets nominated for an Oscar.

      King William’s coronation is going to completely revolve around Harry. Snubbing, fake stories planting and vomiting all over themselves for weeks and weeks that Harry is dead to William and has no role and blah blah Prince Harry blah.

      • windyriver says:

        Not sure what you mean by, “I wish it had been streamed”. Heart of Invictus has been (and still is) available on Netflix since it came out in August 2023 (at least in the US).

      • yupyup says:

        @windyriver I saw it on youtube. I was in Canada at the time for work and now in the US. That is where a friend told me to watch it. Good to know and I cant wait for the 2025 games.

  2. Tessa says:

    Some nerve Eden assuming you speak for the American public about harry.

    • Hypocrisy says:

      Exactly.. this man is also so filled with hate he can’t even make it make sense, it is hate just to hate at this point. I suspect it’s to the point that Eden foams at the mouth when writing his hate.

      • Where'sMyTiara says:

        It would be GLORIOUS if someone took a red pen to Eden’s columns and tore the arguments apart, and posted them on the internet.

        That would be fun reading. And it would be hilariously shaming ‘educational’ for Eden, too!

  3. equality says:

    So first service was only for “working” royals and now honors too? Do they have any idea how many awards there are in other countries that have absolutely nothing to do with any monarchy? His reasoning that PH would have gotten a position that had been held by Charles when he was in the same position that Will is now makes no sense. PW would have been given that military honor whether PH was a “working” royal or not. The other argument that it would be because PH has actually been in combat makes no sense either since they are ALL, even those who haven’t even served in any capacity, given military honors. (Kate, Anne?)

    • Dee(2) says:

      @Equality yep yep GMTA. The article I mentioned on the right wing website pointed out that Harry could have gotten a posting a thousand miles from any war zone, and that no one would have batted an eye as at the time he was third in line to the throne. They pointed out that if Pat Tillman is to be respected for leaving a 3 million dollar contract with the Cardinals to join the military, why wouldn’t a Prince who could have escaped any front line service , served and then returned and when he retired continued his active military support be unfit to receive an award in his name?

    • Moniquep says:

      Don’t forget Edwina!!

  4. Laura D says:

    My question to Eden would be “So what if it is a PR strategy?” IF it is (and I don’t believe for one moment that it is) then it’s working as Eden himself has given Harry (and the award) free publicity by dedicating a whole column about him, the award and the IGs. That type of exposure would cost thousands and yet Eden is happy to give publicity to Harry for nothing. These people really do not understand the “Streisand Effect.” SMH

    • bisynaptic says:

      🎯

    • sevenblue says:

      lol. Agreed. They did the same thing with his book. I was waiting the book to be published to buy it (after reading some reviews), I have never preordered a book in my life. Then, the british media got a book and started to write hundred articles a day based on weird translation. I preordered the book so fast after seeing those. I didn’t think Harry would open up that much before seeing the headlines. They gave millions of dollars worth publicity to Spare.

  5. StillDouchesOfCambridge says:

    I say Cowmilla Queen Mistress of Tampons should reliquish her crown for disrespecting the monarchy and not following protocol when she was married and was w h 0 r ! N g around for years with Charlie

    • Giddy says:

      The hell you say. Don’t you know that the royals view whoring around as one of the perks for all that work they do? Cowmilla, Mistress of Tampons, Queen Sidepiece was merely upholding a royal tradition.

  6. Alexandria says:

    Well if it’s a pr strategy he sure is doing a good job promoting said event even though he could actually ignore Harry and stop writing about him? But noooo he can’t help himself.

  7. Nanea says:

    Eden: Maureen Eyers accepting JMidy’s dog food is a PR strategy.

    These people, really.

    Do they have to rehash everything they read on Derangedeer Xwitter?

    What’s next? The Fail reporting Harry wants to hand over Invictus to his kids eventually — because the usual suspects of the conspiracy theory accounts implying IG is a business that solely exists to make money for H&M?

  8. Slippers4life says:

    These people literally still live in medieval times in their mind. They think Harry is actually setting up a rival court and that he’s going to use America to take the crown of the UK. One thing I learned is these people have a long game…as in the BRF. They believe their “empire” hasn’t crumbled. That it’s just dormant and eventually they will convince the “colonials” to come back. I’m not even joking. This is why they like Trump. They want to use this as an opportunity to be the kings and queens of the US. They don’t think “we lost the war”. They think “we lost the battle” and the war goes on ..thousands of years, you guys. Like I said, a long game. 250 years is nothing to the BRF. Im telling you they still see America coming crawling back as an option. So, Harry leaving them and moving to America, put a huge knot in that option…they don’t believe he just left for a peaceful life on his own terms. They believe that he has switched sides in the war and is a traitor. So now that he’s getting awards…he’s essentially, from their perspective, getting titles in another country. This is why they ask “but why would he need awards if he left it behind?” That question is actually intended as a leading question. To lead the reader to go, “aha! He IS a traitor and he IS setting up a rival court and he DOES want our crown.” We don’t understand it because we leave in 2024. These people are living in the 1700s. You have to think like someone from the 1700s England when you read the likes of Eden. They essentially see this Espy, supported by the Tillman foundation as an American Knighthood…if not more. They are scared and they are truly believing this award brings Harry one step closer to his master plan (according to them), of using America to get the Crown!

  9. Maxine Branch says:

    Those gutter rats in the UK are angry because their stripping of medals from Harry does not resonate with American’s. It is as if we are writing about 2 separate individuals. Harry and Meghan’s awards in America are based on the service they provide for other’s . In the UK, Harry’s birth family awards are based on birth order, or service to their family not service to the community they are supposed to serve. Hoping to see Meghan supporting her husband at this ceremony.

  10. Yvette says:

    This reminds me of the inane articles the rota and royal experts wrote circa 2020 to 2022 in attempts to guilt Harry into coming back to the fold.

    It’s like this bizarre form of emotional blackmail where they are praising royal family members for doing something while chastising Harry for doing the same thing. This is unapologetic, blatant gaslighting.

    • Agreatreckoning says:

      Actually, they praise the remainding unFab Four/S&E/whoever for doing not much of anything and chastise Harry (&Meghan) for actually doing something.

      Willy’s E@rthshite thing in Boston was an embarrassment. Let’s hold an award show with celebrities, yet the winners/honorees were not there.

  11. Becks1 says:

    So working royals can get fake awards and medals that they made up for themselves on a regular basis and that’s fine, but Harry is being given a genuinely well respected philanthropic award and that’s somehow bad because he should have stayed a working royal and gotten the fake awards?

    Is that right?

    • Eurydice says:

      Yes, and also that royals want and need those fake awards. That’s the only way they’d know if they’re doing a good “job” – if they are of good service to Charles.

    • bisynaptic says:

      Yes.

  12. bisynaptic says:

    LOL “For frontline members of the Royal Family, honours are merely part of the role, whether it’s taking up a senior position with a military regiment or receiving a new decoration… Yet, today, Harry and Meghan are free of the constraints of monarchy … Why would they want or need regular new honours?”
    — He’s basically saying that the BRF has the corner on the market on made-up honors, so why should Harry be allowed to muscle in on their action? 😂
    This is your answer, @Kaiser, in a nutshell. There’s no reference to Tilman’s mother. The argument stands, independently of her, or anyone else. The BRF are laying claim as the sole rightful impresarios of the Potemkin honors show.

  13. Amy Bee says:

    I feel the same way as Kaiser after reading this new screed from Richard Eden. They’re not arguing that he doesn’t deserve the award or disputing that if he had stayed he would be given titles and medals just for being a member of the Royal Family. So what’s the real reason for the outrage and the demand that he doesn’t accept it? I think the outrage is because Harry getting awards makes a liar of the press since their narrative is that nobody wants to be associated with him. And for the family and the royalists the attention and praise is going to Harry himself and not the institution.

  14. Eurydice says:

    It’s not just Harry and Meghan who are free of the constraints of monarchy, it’s also every US charity and organization, not to mention ones in every other country not a Commonwealth realm. They can give awards to whomever they want.

    And I have to laugh at, “For frontline members of the Royal Family, honours are merely part of the role, whether it’s taking up a senior position with a military regiment or receiving a new decoration…” – yes, giving each other honors is just another part of the royal role.

    • Steph says:

      I can’t believe he has the audacity to use the term “front line members” trying to tie them in as real members of the military. Way to dishonour the military community.

  15. Miranda says:

    I don’t think Eden himself even knows WTF he’s saying anymore. None of them do. They lost the plot long ago and now it’s just tantrums.

    It’s really rather sad that Harry’s service in and to the military seems to garner more respect in America than in the country for which he actually fought. Because the Pat Tillman award and the ESPYs in general are pretty high-profile, even people who don’t pay attention to royal gossip are seeing the monarchy’s mouthpieces showing their asses over this. They’re seeing the blatant disrespect of a combat veteran and the important work he has done for his fellow veterans, while the king doles out phony military honors to his shiftless, selfish family who have never, would never, put their lives on the line. It’s not a good look.

  16. Anonymous says:

    So why didn’t they demand Egghead turn down his BAFTA award? Didn’t he have enough honors? Wasn’t he privileged? Shouldn’t the award have gone to some other unknown, hardworking producer? The Unroyals want attention and praise for every carriage ride and ribbon cutting and whatnot but somehow Harry is undeserving for, I don’t know, working hard for a cause he believes in and being recognized for it? Smh.

    • Nanea says:

      Egghead couldn’t turn down the BAFTA, because he himself is the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

      So, in effect, Huevo decided that Bulliam needed to receive this particular accolade, probably to one-up the Better Brother again, for whatever reason

  17. Wagiman says:

    There are all the same people (who even bleed through here) who say bizarrely that the Sussexes pay for the awards. The same people who claim they’re broke. I don’t think there’s any way to parse their garbage. It’s all lies, and different lies. The hate is absurd and sadly across the board

    • sunnyside up says:

      The problem with telling lies is you have to remember everything you said so you don’t contradict yourself, as often see in tabloid press stories

  18. Aerie says:

    Eden quotes ‘old friends’ of Harry and someone in ‘show business’. His opinions are as valid as his fake sources.

  19. aquarius64 says:

    I see there was no follow up interview by the Fail with Mary Tillman this past weekend. The BM overplayed its hand because with the exception of an Arizona paper and the NY Post rag the US mainstream media is not calling for Harry to turn it down.

    • MsIam says:

      I don’t understand why this hysteria and demand for Harry to “turn down” an award. Same with Meghan and her award from Ms. Magazine or the RFK Foundation award. These are awards from private organizations and not voted on by the public or awarded by the government or funded by taxpayers. No money is involved. Its ludicrous how this debate has gotten out of hand. The Unroyals give honors to anyone they think can be useful to them in the future (or who pays enough cash apparently), no one is checking them for that.

  20. Visa Diva says:

    A lot of awards are about publicity, by honoring prominent people who’ve don’t work for the organization or aligned to an organization’s mission it draws attention and gets more funding, their calls answered, etc. That’s not a bad thing and if going Harry an award helps the Tillman Foundation continue their work, mission accomplished.

  21. Lulu says:

    As always, Eden gets it ass backward. Harry has contempt for Eden and the rest of the British tabloids – never, ever, for the monarchy.

  22. Lau says:

    When is the award ceremony ? Because I’m looking forward to them moving on to another subject with which to bully the Sussexes, I’ve had enough of this one.

  23. Jais says:

    Harry shouldn’t get an award bc….he left the RF? That doesn’t even make sense.

  24. Noor says:

    It is what it is …never ending laments from a demented media and royalist commentators .

  25. Saucy&Sassy says:

    “The backlash over the Pat Tillman Award suggests that the American public might be starting to see this unending stream of awards and honours and something of a public relations strategy.”

    I am so tired of the British media telling me what I think. Not just me, but 340,000,000 people. Guess what? The Espy’s will tell the TRUTH and the bm will ONCE AGAIN look like idiots. That’s the part I remind myself about. The bm always comes out looking like idiots. Congratulations to them.

  26. Ki says:

    Let’s bet on how many reporters the Daily Mail send to cover the awards. It’s mind-boggling how the British media are fighting to keep one of their royals from receiving an award, but they will break their necks to get photos of The Sussexes.

  27. 809Matriarch says:

    At this point, Harry and Meghan can pretty much ignore the RF/UK media noise. The piddly UK with it’s 66 million population is nothing compared to the hundreds of millions living in America. Our media, charities and organizations are NOT intimidated by the vendetta journalism of the UK.

    Newsflash people don’t like what is going on. We loved Diana. We love Harry. Meghan is our American daughter, niece, cousin, etc. We are an army of would be Tyler Perrys. We may not be billionaires but we can fight back with receipts and prayers.

    These hit pieces just look increasingly unjustified, petty and cruel.

  28. Nerd says:

    It isn’t a strategy when the award is being given to you from an organization that isn’t linked to you and is for the work you have done to help and benefit others. PR is dressing up in outlandish outfits and extravagant clothes, jewelry and crowns/tiaras and expecting an entire country and the rest of the world watch your head grow bigger because of your self importance. They were on American Idol for an elderly intern finally getting the job he’s waited for his entire life. They televised a woman who did a prerecorded solo piano recital as a celebration for Christmas. They were late to the ConAnation because they were recording a day in the life of rich people who have multiple homes that they have never paid for. PR is all the other royals ever do.

  29. Rnot says:

    The article isn’t coherent because it’s soothing aimed at William and Charles. “This unending stream of awards and honors” lol. They must be REALLY bent out of shape over this one.

  30. BeanieBean says:

    I’m sorry, but ‘Middle Wallop’? Cracks me up every time. I know, I know, we have plenty of weird place names in the US, but still. Middle Wallop!!

  31. Truthiness says:

    Oh this old trope. Again. Still false.

    Lmao at criticism for “celebrity lifestyle.” The royals have had celebrity lifestyles for over a thousand years. If previous kings could see the new guy traveling in a private jet with his own traveling bedroom and traveling royal toilet they would be a bit envious.

  32. JDLS says:

    Here’s my big question. Did anyone in the UK know about this award before? Does it have anything to do with anything in the UK? The Royal family? No?

    Well stfu then, folks. Harry deserves the award. Full stop.

  33. blunt talker says:

    Does the UK media understand that Espy Awards are not part of a monarchy-this organization can give awards to whom they want-Kings do not rule here every business, organization, and award shows are free enterprise-they will decide who to promote based on their guidelines-they do not have to ask for permission-people in this country have their own events and will use their free will in deciding who gets what-I do believe Willy got a Bafta award-the UK media did not have a problem with that-promoting people who was born first is not how we do things. If the UK media or the royal family do not understand how America does things-then sit down and shut up.

  34. Ariel says:

    I don’t even know why y’all still cover these none stories from the tabloids lmao. It’s just an irritating noise at this point