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Fans have gone wild over a video allegedly showing Prince Harry being snubbed by Venus Williams at the ESPYs.
Royal watchers took to X, to claim the tennis legend, 44 – who is the sister to Meghan Markle’s good friend Serena Williams – failed to stand up or clap for the royal when he received a Pat Tillman Award at the glitzy Los Angeles ceremony on Thursday night.
The Duke of Sussex accepted the award – which is named after Pat Tillman, an NFL player who gave up his lucrative career to enlist in the army following 9/11 – despite calls from Pat’s mother and other veterans to reject it.
In a video shared by ESPN on YouTube; Harry can be seen running up to the stage to collect his award, but while his wife and much of the crowd stood to applaud the prince, Venus remained seated and was not seen clapping.
Later on in the clip, the sporting icon – who was recently honoured with her own Barbie doll – was seen standing up next to Meghan as Harry gave his speech.
Fans have gone wild over a video allegedly showing Prince Harry being snubbed by Venus Williams at the ESPYs
Royal watchers took to X, to claim Venus, 44, failed to stand up or clap for the royal when he received a Pat Tillman Award at the glitzy Los Angeles ceremony on Thursday night
The Duke of Sussex accepted the award – which is named after Pat Tillman, an NFL player who gave up his lucrative career to enlist in the army following 9/11. He attended the glitzy ceremony with his wife Meghan Markle, who sported a stunning white Oscar de la Renta gown
But royal fans say Venus nevertheless ‘shaded’ Harry, while others have accused her of giving the couple major ‘side eye’.
Taking to X, one person wrote: ‘Are they still b*** hurt that Venus and that whole front row shaded Harry… the video was even crystal clear’.
Another said: ‘Loved seeing Venus giving Harry and Megsie the “side eye”….no standing ovation or clapping’.
A third person pointed out that perhaps Venus, like many others, also protested the Duke’s award: ‘If Venus didn’t agree with Harry getting the award that was her right not to clap’.
Someone else added: ‘Harry must feel the disgust emanating from Venus’.
Meanwhile one person said it was Harry and Meghan who instead did the ‘ghosting’: ‘Anyone mentioned how H and M purposefully never acknowledged Venus sitting to Harry’s direct right? They were both ghosting her’.
Meghan has enjoyed a long friendship with Venus’ sister Serena, who attended her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018.
The pair first met at a super bowl party in 2010, and again in 2014.
According to Meghan on her defunct blog The Tig, the pair ‘hit it off immediately’.
According to Mark Hodgkinson in Serena: A Graphic Biography of the Greatest Tennis Champion, the women’s friendship quickly evolved through frequent phone calls and texts.
After becoming Prince Harry’s girlfriend and then a Duchess, Markle leaned on Serena for mentoring on how to handle the paparazzi and the international media.
Serena advised her to ‘stop being so nice’, according to the author.
And when Meghan learned she was pregnant shortly after Serena’s little girl was born, Serena offered her parenting advice.
In 2021, Williams revealed: ‘We have known each other for a long time, but we really are relying on each other a lot recently.’
She added that watching Meghan marry Prince Harry in May 2018 was particularly special.
However, it doesn’t appear that Meghan or Harry have any connections with Venus – beyond their friendship with Serena.
During his speech, the prince highlighted the importance of ‘unity’ and touched on the ‘eternal bond’ between mother and son – a nod to Mary Tillman and his own mum Princess Diana.
The deeply moving speech seemed to have caught Venus’s attention as cameras showed her listening intently and looking somewhat captivated.
Although some are convinced Venus snubbed the Duke, a short clip shared by Access Hollywood shows them sitting together as they appear to enjoy an informal chat
The two also signal and wave to each other before Harry joins his wife to greet other guests
Prince Harry, who raised eyebrows last month when he was announced as the winner, was greeted on stage by three previous recipients of the Pat Tillman Award
Harry accepted the award at the ceremony despite critics having called for him to turn down the honour – while an online petition was set up condemning the prize
Additionally a short clip shared by Access Hollywood shows Prince Harry and Venus sitting together as they appear to enjoy an informal chat.
The two then signal and wave to each other before Harry joins his wife to greet other guests. Meghan flashed a quick smile at Venus before tending to the invitees.
The couple endured another awkward moment when Meghan’s friend of more than 10 years and the ESPY’s host Serena Williams, poked fun at the couple by saying the veterans’ award was fit for ‘actual royalty’.
Harry was given a standing ovation by his wife – who stunned in a spectacular backless white Oscar de la Renta gown – as he accepted the Pat Tillman Award despite the fallen soldier’s mother declaring the royal is too ‘privileged’ and other soldiers were more deserving.
Before he collected the award, host Serena made the Sussexes giggle at a series of jokes at their expense – and her own.
Meghan was seen earlier beaming while giving her husband a standing ovation
The award is named after Pat Tillman, an NFL player who gave up his lucrative career to enlist in the army in the wake of 9/11. He died in Afghanistan in 2004
Pat Tillman’s mother, Mary Tillman, testifies about the information surrounding her son’s death in battle. She does not appear to have attended the ESPY awards
Serena, who attended the Sussexes’ royal wedding, said: ‘It’s pretty often that I get to be in a room with actual royalty, and tonight is no exception’, adding with a smile: ‘Prince Harry and Meghan are here. Let’s give it up for them’.
She continued: ‘But please, Harry and Meghan, try not to breathe too much tonight.
‘Because this is my night, and I don’t want to be overshadowed by the accusations that you guys are taking up too much oxygen, okay?’
The camera then cut to Meghan and Harry, who laughed in the front row.
Minutes later the Duke of Sussex was handed the Pat Tillman Award and spoke of the ‘eternal bond’ between mother and son – a nod to Mary Tillman and Princess Diana
Harry has faced calls to reject the award because it has typically gone to unsung veterans. More than 76,000 people signed a petition demanding the decision was reversed.
The couple endured another awkward moment when Meghan’s friend of more than 10 years and the ESPY’s host Serena Williams, poked fun at the couple by saying the veterans’ award was fit for ‘actual royalty’
Royal fans say Venus ‘shaded’ Harry, while others have accused her of giving the couple major ‘side eye’
And Mary Tillman told the Mail last month that she was ‘shocked’ it would go to ‘such a controversial and divisive figure’, adding: ‘There are recipients that are far more fitting. These individuals do not have the money, resources, connections or privilege that Prince Harry has’.
But last night at the glitzy ESPY Awards Harry extended an olive branch to Mr Tillman’s mother.
Meghan beamed with pride as Harry spoke of his ‘respect’ for how she was preserving her son’s bravery and memory, as he also applauded the sacrifice of wounded veterans and praised the Invictus Games in his victory speech.
‘Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect,’ he said. ‘The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.’
Harry brushed off calls for him to turn down the prize from critics including the former head of Britain’s Royal Navy Lord West, who warned the royal risked the wrath of military veterans.
Meghan Markle beamed with pride as Prince Harry collected a prestigious military honour at the ESPY Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles
Mary Tillman, the fallen NFL star-turned-veteran’s mother, said she was ‘shocked’ her son’s award would go to ‘such a controversial and divisive figure’
The Pat Tillman Award is named after the iconic NFL player and late US Army Ranger who gave up his lucrative sporting career to enlist in the army in the wake of 9/11 before his death in Afghanistan in 2004 due to friendly fire.
Prince Harry accepted the prestigious military honour, and he used his time on stage to pay tribute to wounded veterans.
As he accepted the award from three previous winners, Harry – who served two tours in Afghanistan – noted the struggles that military personnel face after they return from duty.
Although some condemned the choice of Prince Harry for the award, ESPN defended it and cited his role in setting up the Invictus Games – which he mentioned as he dedicated the award to ‘the entire service community’.
‘Tonight, we celebrate healing through sport,’ he said, ending the speech by addressing veterans around the world, telling them: ‘We will leave no one behind.’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined other award nominees including Patrick Mahomes and Caitlin Clark at the glitzy ESPN event on Thursday evening, hosted by tennis legend Serena Williams.
He began his acceptance speech by expressing his ‘deepest gratitude to everyone at the Pat Tillman Foundation’ including the ex-NFL player’s widow Marie Tillman Shenton who was among those attending.
He then made his remarks addressing Mary Tillman, before adding: ‘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.
‘This award belongs to them, not to me’.
The Duke of Sussex completed two tours of Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot
Meghan Markle and Serena Williams (pictured in 2014) first met at a Super Bowl party in 2010 and eventually became close friends
He also spoke of the inspiration Invictus Games competitors provided amid what he called ‘an age of polarisation and division’.
The Duke said: ‘While so much progress has been made since those first Invictus Games, the world outside seems to be in an even more precarious state.
‘Conflicts rage around the globe – anger and resentment towards those who are different seem to pervade societies everywhere.
‘Our community challenges that – our community proves that unity is not just possible but formidable.
‘The beauty of the Invictus Games lies in how it brings people together no matter one’s nationality, background or personal struggles.
‘It is a collective, built from courage and mutual respect – where athletes discover time and time again the common denominator of their humanity.
‘Having survived the crucible of armed combat and forged through the challenge to rebuild bodies and minds impacted by conflict, they form a family. They exemplify the very best in all of us’.
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