Prince Harry's widespread backlash from the veteran community for accepting the Pat Tillman Award for service will be "weighing on his mind", it has been claimed.
Before the glamorous Hollywood ceremony, more than 70,000 people signed a petition protesting against the decision, with Tillman's mother criticising the decision to honour the Duke of Sussex.
In his acceptance speech Harry praised the "eternal" bond "between a mother and son", and praised Tillman's mother Mary's "advocacy for Pat's legacy", calling it "deeply personal, and one that I respect".
Speaking to GB News, former Royal Butler Grant Harrold said the heavy criticism on Prince Harry by the veteran community will be "weighing on his shoulders", claiming he is a "gentle character".
Prince Harry has accepted the Pat Tillman award for service despite backlash from the veteran community
Getty / GB News
Highlighting how service is a "deeply personal" matter to the duke, Harrold told GB News: "This is quite a personal thing to him because obviously his acts of service over the years, including in Afghanistan, starting the Invictus Games, which is always what this word was connected to.
"He'll be aware of what's being said, of the kind of feedback and also of the mother who has obviously voiced her concerns."
Highlighting how Tillman's mother claimed she "wasn't consulted" on Prince Harry receiving the award, Harrold admitted he "wasn't sure" if Harry was going to go ahead and accept the award amid the rife controversy surrounding it.
Harrold explained: "I wasn't sure if he would accept it, but obviously the advice he was given was 'why not?'
The Duke of Sussex accepted the award at the 2024 ESPY Awards in Hollywood, California
Getty
"Because of his background, everything kind of makes sense for him to go ahead and accept it. But obviously the petition did gather quite a few names."
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When asked by host Stephen Dixon if he believes Prince Harry is a "worthy recipient" of the honour, Harrold defended the royal, affirming: "Personally, on this one, I think he is, because I'm aware of what that was like for him when I was working with the Royal Family.
"I know how much it meant to him, with his involvement within the armed forces and setting up the Invictus Games. So to be given this award for those reasons, to my mind, makes sense."
Acknowledging the backlash from the veteran community, Harrold continued: "I think what's happening just now is based on other things that have taken place.
"Obviously there's a lot of strong opinion about him, but I just feel it's a bit unfair to kind of judge him."
Grant Harrold says the backlash aimed at Prince Harry will be 'weighing on his mind'
GB News
When asked how he predicts Prince Harry will be feeling about the controversy surrounding his honour, Harrold claimed that the backlash will be "weighing on his mind".
Harrold told GB News: "As a veteran, I absolutely have no doubt that it will be weighing on his mind, because when you've got that amount of people signing a petition, there's obviously a strong feeling about it.
"That's why part of me wondered if he would have not accepted it, but obviously the advice has been given that he should."
He added: "The thing that I think a lot of people forget is that has a very gentle character. He's a very kind soul. And I think that with the petition, that would definitely have had an impact on him. It will and continue to play in his mind, I have no doubt."
