2024 ESPYS: Prince Harry Gives Nod to Late Mom Princess Diana in Emotional Speech

Prince Harry gave a royally moving speech at the 2024 ESPY Awards.  When the Duke of Sussex took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles July 11 to accept the Pat Tillman Award for Service, he spoke about the special bond between a mother and son while thanking Mary Tillman, the mom of the football player who the prize was named after. (See all the stars at the 2024 ESPYS here.)

“Our advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect,” Harry, who was accompanied by wife Meghan Markle at the ceremony, said. “The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”

Harry, whose mom Princess Diana died in a 1997 car crash, continued, “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 from over 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games a reality.”

The dad of Archie Harrison, 5, and Lilibet Diana, 3, “added, “This award belongs to them, not to me.”  Each year, the ESPYS select a person “with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy” of Pat Tillman, the late NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger.  While announcing Harry as the honoree in June, ESPN reflected on the royal family member’s work that’s made a positive impact on the veteran community.

“After serving for 10 years in the British Armed Forces, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan as a forward air controller and Apache helicopter pilot, Prince Harry founded The Invictus Games Foundation,” the network said, “continuing his service by 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.”

In addition to Harry, the 2024 ESPYS—hosted by Serena Williams—are honoring former NFL safety Steve Gleason with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage and Dawn Staley with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.  “It’s our privilege to recognize three incredible individuals,” ESPN’s Kate Jackson said in a June press release. “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.”