Former Royal Navy chief Admiral Lord Alan West has issued a stern warning to Prince Harry over his nomination for the distinguished Pat Tillman Award for Service - set to take place at a star-studded awards ceremony in the US later this month. In June, it was revealed that the Duke of Sussex was slated to receive the award at this year's ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) Awards in Los Angeles on 11th July.
Tennis superstar Serena Williams, who is close pals with Meghan Markle, will be hosting the event. The honour, named after NFL player and US Army Ranger Pat Tillman who tragically lost his life in Afghanistan in 2004, is bestowed by sports network ESPN to individuals within the sports industry who have made substantial contributions towards improving the lives of others.
However, the announcement ignited global outrage, culminating in a petition demanding awards organisers to revamp their decision. Even Tillman's mother, Mary, disclosed to the Mail that she was "shocked" about Harry's nomination given that there "are recipients that are far more fitting".
Now, Admiral Lord Alan West, formerly First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff from 2002-06, has spoken out against the Royal and issued him an eight-word cautionary message regarding his nomination. Implying the move could leave a negative impression on those serving in the forces, Lord West urged Harry "he ought to think very hard and long" before accepting such awards.
He also called on the Duke to spurn the Pat Tillman award. The Labour peer told the Mail: "He ought to think very hard and long about accepting awards for things like being an exceptional pilot and being exceptionally brave. Some of the blame must lie with ESPN. They like picking him because it gives them immense publicity. But this is rather bad publicity for Harry."
Lord West also suggested that the Duke should "to sit back and not accept awards like this", reports the Express saying it "doesn't travel well with people in the military".
He said: "It doesn't travel well with people in the military. And when the mother of the man who died doesn't want him to get this award, he should think about that. My advice to him is to sit back and not accept any awards at the moment. They are going his way because has such a high profile and people want to take advantage of that."
Prince Harry is in the spotlight for establishing the Invictus Games ten years ago, aiming to aid injured and sick service members - both active and veterans - dealing with physical and psychological wounds.
ESPN praised Harry for his "tireless work in making a positive impact for the veteran community through the power of sport". They highlighted that the Invictus Games has "transcended borders and impacted lives across every continent". On the flip side, sources confided to The Telegraph that the Duke was "stunned" by the negative reaction.
The sources revealed: "Harry's legacy on Invictus, the things he has achieved, that's his real passion. This is the space in which he truly feels at home, it is something he deeply cares about. The reaction certainly took the shine off the award."