Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are the outcasts of the British Royal Family.
Prince Harry and Meghan are searching for a comeback.
And Meghan Markle heard one piece of news that stunned the Royal Family.
ESPN to honor Prince Harry
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moving to California and quitting their Royal duties set off a chain reaction of events that led to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ending up as pop culture villains.
Prince Harry and Meghan alienated King Charles, Harry’s brother Prince William, and his wife, Princess Kate Middleton, by accusing the Royals of racism and airing the family’s dirty laundry in public.
Their careers continued a downward spiral when Spotify fired them from a podcast deal and few in Hollywood wanted anything to do with them.
Now it looks like Prince Harry and Meghan got a lifeline.
ESPN will honor Prince Harry at its annual “ESPYs” award show with the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
Pat Tillman was the Arizona Cardinals defensive back who enlisted in the military after the 9/11 terror attacks and became an Army Ranger.
In 2004, Tillman died in a friendly fire incident while serving in Afghanistan.
ESPN says the Pat Tillman Award for service is “given to a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger, Pat Tillman.”
Normally, this award is used to recognize someone who isn’t famous as a way to thank them for going above and beyond.
Last year, ESPN gave the award to the training staff of the Buffalo Bills for saving Damar Hamlin’s life on the field after Hamlin suffered a cardiac episode during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Why ESPN is honoring Prince Harry
ESPN is honoring Prince Harry on the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games, a competition Harry started for wounded veterans.
The award is going to Prince Harry for “creating an international platform to support wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women — both active-duty and veterans — who are navigating both physical and invisible injuries.”
ESPN released a statement about Prince Harry winning the Pat Tillman award as well as promoting former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason for winning the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for his battle with ALS and South Carolina Gamecocks Women’s Basketball Coach Dawn Staley for receiving the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.
“It’s our privilege to recognize three incredible individuals — Steve Gleason, Dawn Staley and Prince Harry,” said Kate Jackson, VP of production for ESPN declared.
“These honorees have used their platforms to change the world and make it more inclusive for marginalized and suffering communities, demonstrating incredible resilience, positivity and perseverance, and we’re thrilled to celebrate them at The 2024 ESPYS,” Jackson concluded.
At a time when TV ratings for everything other than the NFL are down because of Americans ditching cable for streaming, ESPN needs ratings draws.
And the network hopes that Prince Harry’s presence will draw in the audience consumed by the drama in the Royal Family.
