Prince Harry voices "eternal bond" between mother and son in nod to Diana
Prince Harry has spoken movingly about the "eternal bond" between mothers and sons after being honoured at an awards ceremony.
The Duke of Sussex attended the ESPY Awards in the US alongside his wife Meghan, where he received the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
The award was given in acknowledgment of 39-year-old Harry’s work on the Invictus Games, which he founded a decade ago. The Games aim to support sick and injured servicemen and women who are navigating injuries.
As he picked up the award, hosted by the American sports channel ESPN, the prince chose to honour the family of former NFL player and US Army Ranger Pat Tillman. He also chose to directly address Pat's mother, Mary Tillman, after she previously was disparaging about the award having been named after her son.
Referencing his own close bond to his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, Harry said: “[Mary’s] advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal, and one that I respect.
“The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
The moving speech comes just a month ahead of the 27th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death. Harry has previously spoken at length about the bond he shared with his late mother, with his unflinching memoir Spare giving an in-depth look at his grief following Diana’s death.
Harry went on to praise the service personnel who had taken part in the Invictus Games, and how the event stands as a beacon of hope in a world that continues to be polarised.
“The beauty of the Invictus Games lies in how it brings people together, no matter one’s nationality, background, or personal struggles,” Harry said.
“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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