Prince Harry received a shocking overhead welcome at the 2024 ESPY Awards.
A banner reading “Prince Harry: Investigate Mum’s Death” flew above the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Thursday, July 11, where the Duke of Sussex, 39, was on hand to accept the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, was killed in a car accident in August 1997, which has long been the subject of royal gossip and conspiracy theories.
The banner circled the venue for the entirety of the hours-long red carpet, which Harry and wife Meghan Markle did not walk.
Still, it managed to garner the attention of some of the celebrities in attendance.
“Sorry, there’s planes with signs flying above us,” Love Is Blind alum Chelsea Griffin-Appiah said, interrupting her interview with Us Weekly to acknowledge the message.
The reality star squinted to read what the banner said, which brought a startled response upon inspection.
“Oh, my God,” Chelsea said. “L.A. is a wild place.”
The Duke’s acceptance of the award itself was also not without controversy. Once Harry was announced as this year’s recipient of the honor — which recognizes a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the late Tillman’s legacy — some backlash ensued.
Among the critics was Mary Tillman, the mother of the former NFL star who was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 while serving as a U.S Army Ranger. Mary said she was “shocked” that Harry was selected, a decision she said she was not consulted about.
Harry began his acceptance speech on Thursday evening by recognizing Mary.
“[Mary’s] 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 honors.”
He continued, “The truth is, 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 across 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games a reality. This award belongs to them, not to me. That said, it is 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.”
