Itโs business as usual for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no strangers to being under fire โ and it seems as though the recent blowback from Harryโs ESPY Award nod proved to be no different.
Harry, 39, was named the recipient of the 2024 ESPYsโ Pat Tillman Award for Service and is set to be honored at Thursdayโs star-studded ceremony hosted by Markleโs pal, Serena Williams.
However, the announcement didnโt sit right with many, including the late heroโs mom, Mary Tillman, who slammed ESPN and claimed she was never consulted about the decision.
As the backlash continued to plague Harry, former royal butler Grant Harrold says that the duo arenโt experiencing anything they havenโt already.
The Sussexes are โvery used to the criticism, given everything thatโs gone on over the last few years,โ Harrold, who worked for King Charles for seven years, exclusively told The Post.
โIโm sure theyโll be drowning out the outside noise by continuing with their normal and everyday life and trying not to turn on the television, or read the papers as much.โ
โTheyโre being talked about constantly, given their profiles,โ he continued.
โFrom what I remember, Harry was always an extremely private person, so Iโm not sure how heโll feel about that, but I can imagine his way of coping with the attention is to carry on as normal,โ he added on behalf of Fruity Slots.
Earlier this week, Harrold suggested that the father of two is โfeeling quite sadโ about the negative response to him being named as the awardโs recipient.
Whatโs more, the former royal staffer said itโs possible Harry could decline the prestigious award.
โHeโd never want to cause any upset,โ Harrold said. โIf he thinks that it is going to cause upset, then it is quite likely that he could decline the award . . . because heโd never want to cause any upset and it would affect him hearing about the backlash.โ
Earlier this month, ESPN defended its decision to honor Harry, saying co-founding the Invictus Games and his continued work as a patron of the organization โis a cause worth celebrating.โ
The award is handed out to individuals who have made significant contributions in the world, which echo the legacy of the former NFL player and US Army Ranger Pat Tillman, who enlisted after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Harry, for his part, served in the British armed forces for 10 years, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot and a forward air controller.
Despite the backlash surrounding Prince Harry’s ESPY Award nod, it seems like he and Meghan Markle are unfazed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no strangers to criticism, with Harry even potentially considering declining the prestigious award to avoid causing any upset.
Former royal butler Grant Harrold, who worked for King Charles for seven years, shared insights about the couple, stating that they are accustomed to dealing with negative attention. He mentioned that Harry has always been a private person and may be feeling quite sad about the negative response to the award announcement.
Harrold also highlighted Harry’s extensive military service, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan, which is a significant contribution worthy of recognition. Despite the controversy, ESPN defended their decision to honor Harry for his work with the Invictus Games and continued support for the organization.
As the couple faces continued scrutiny, it’s clear that they will likely continue with their normal routine and try to block out the outside noise. Stay tuned for more updates on this story and other relevant information.
Follow us to see more useful information, as well as to give us more motivation to update more useful information for you. Source: The Wall Street Journal