Prince Harry has been defended as a petition calling for a “rethink” on the decision to give him an award for veterans approaches almost 60,000 signatures.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, is set to receive the Pat Tillman Award for his work with the Invictus Games, which celebrates the sporting achievements of wounded, sick and injured service people.
But tens of thousands of people, including the late Tillman’s mother, Mary, believe there are more deserving recipients.
Now the sporting network behind the award, ESPN, has defended its decision, hailing the “incredible” work of the games.
“While we understand not everyone will agree with all honorees selected for any award, The Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating,” a spokesperson told Sky News.
Meanwhile, Kate Middleton’s parents Michael and Carole are making their second public outing since the announcement of her cancer diagnosis at Wimbledon.
The couple are set to appear in the Royal Box, which has the tournament’s best view of Centre Court.
Meghan ‘will never allow’ Harry to reconcile with family
“[Harry] is not going to apologise, at least not while he is still with Meghan,” Dee Dee Dunleavy told Sky News.
“I really do believe he does her bidding and she is never going to allow him to apologise to the family.”
The Duke of Sussex’s relationship with his family has consistently deteriorated since he and Meghan stepped down as working royals in 2020.
He has not seen his father, King Charles, since February, when they met for a reported 45 minutes following his cancer diagnosis.
Emma Guinness5 July 2024 06:00
Meghan Markle’s cooking programme finishes filming
A source told the outlet: “It all went well and it is in the can.”
While little is known about the untitled programme, the Duchess of Sussex herself said it will “celebrate the joys of cooking & gardening, entertaining, and friendship.”
Emma Guinness5 July 2024 04:00
Harry could release another memoir after Charles’s death, commentator claims
A royal commentator has speculated that Prince Harry could release another tell-all book upon the death of his father King Charles.
Royal expert Kinsey Schofield claims that he could do this to “lash out” at his brother Prince William if he remains on poor terms with the royals.
She speculated on Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered: “I do think he would write about his family again. He was waiting to publish a book after [Queen Elizabeth died]. Originally they were saying there was going to be another publication after the [late] Queen died.”
“I suspect that maybe he would release a book after his father passed away. Especially if Prince William continues to keep him at arm’s length. Because what would the repercussions be if Prince William pushed you out of the fold?”
Emma Guinness5 July 2024 02:00
Prince Harry sent ‘symbolic message’ to royal family
This came in the form of the date he officially registered the US as his main residence, 29 June, which was also the day he officially vacated the cottage last year.
While the Duke of Sussex has primarily lived in the US since 2020, royal commentator Esther Krakue said Harry was trying “to send a message” with this decision.
She told Sky News: “It’s very interesting that Prince Harry chose to date his official US residency on the day he was kicked out of Frogmore Cottage.”
“I think he was trying to send a message and it was very symbolic and I think the biggest message here is that it represents everything that could have been and is not and has been lost. Potentially it represents what actually should never have been.”
More recent reports have suggested that Harry is now looking for a new UK residence after he stayed in a London hotel on his most recent trip to the country.
Emma Guinness5 July 2024 00:00
Petition against Prince Harry reaches 60,000 signatures
A petition calling on American sports network ESPN to “rethink” its decision to give Prince Harry the Pat Tillman Award for his work with the Invictus Games has reached over 60,000 signatures.
It argues that the Duke of Sussex is an unsuitable recipient of the award, which was created in memory of the former footballer who gave up his sporting career to serve in the wake of 9/11.
The Change.org petition reads: “Prince Harry, while a former military officer, has been involved in controversies that call into question his suitability to receive an honour of this magnitude.
“He has faced accusations of endangering his squadron by publicly revealing military kills.
“The Prince also allegedly targeted his own father, Prince Charles, during a flyover.
“More recently, his role in the Invictus games, a platform meant to celebrate the resilience and dedication of veterans, has been criticized as self-centered.”
ESPN has defended its decision following the controversy, describing the work of the games as “incredible”.
Emma Guinness4 July 2024 22:00
Harry and Meghan’s celebrity friends ‘few and far between’
Despite having a star-studded wedding back in 2018, it has been claimed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s circle of celebrity friends is growing increasingly smaller.
This comes following explosive new revelations from Tom Bower’s book House of Beckham, which claims that Meghan “deluded” herself into thinking she had more social status than Victoria Beckham.
The two couple’s friendship eventually fell apart when Meghan allegedly accused the pair of leaking information about her to the press.
“Their A-list friends that are supportive are few and far between,” a source told Closer magazine.
“Any chance they had of mending fences with the Beckhams has been squashed by the royals, Tom Cruise has clearly chosen to side with the royals, George and Amal Clooney have all but dumped them too, and even Elton John has been too busy to give them a whole lot of attention.”
Emma Guinness4 July 2024 20:00
King Charles and Queen Camilla celebrate impactful Scots
This came as part of this year’s Holyrood Week celebrations, which also mark the 900th anniversary of the city of Edinburgh.
According to reports, while the royals typically spend a week in Scotland for the celebrations, this will be cut short because of the General Election.
🫖☀️ The King and Queen, along with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, have welcomed around 8,000 Scots to the gardens of Holyroodhouse.
Guests at the Garden Party represent all walks of life and have all made a positive impact in their community. pic.twitter.com/RNAMKsJpk0
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) July 2, 2024
Emma Guinness4 July 2024 17:00
Harry and Meghan celebrate Independence Day as the UK goes to the polls
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reported to be celebrating Independence Day in the US as the UK goes to the polls for the General Election.
The holiday is of particular importance to the couple – who last year celebrated by watching a parade with their children – because it is when they had one of their first dates.
Harry wrote in Spare: “[Meghan] walked in, wearing a pretty blue sundress with white pinstripes. She was aglow. I stood and said: ‘I bear gifts.’ A pink box. I held it forward. She shook it. ‘What’s this? ‘ ‘No, no, don’t shake it! ‘ We both laughed.
“She opened the box. Cupcakes. Red, white and blue cupcakes, to be exact. In honour of Independence Day. I said something about the Brits having a very different view of Independence Day from the Yanks, but, oh, well. She said they looked amazing.”
Emma Guinness4 July 2024 16:00
King Charles shares message to those affected by Hurricane Beryl
The storm made history by becoming the fastest to reach category five on record, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The Monarch said in a statement: “My family and I have been profoundly saddened to learn of the dreadful destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl across the Caribbean. Above all, we send our heartfelt condolences to the friends and families of those who have so cruelly lost their lives.
“I have seen the extraordinary spirit of resilience and solidarity that people across the Caribbean have shown in response to such destruction – a spirit which has been called upon too often – and so I also send my particular gratitude to the emergency services and volunteers who are supporting the rescue and recovery efforts.
“At this most difficult of times, please know that our most special thoughts and prayers are with all those whose lives, livelihoods and property have been so utterly devastated.”
Emma Guinness4 July 2024 15:00
Royal Navy ship sent to aid Hurricane Beryl relief efforts
Following the news that the Prince and Princess of Wales have made a private donation to the Hurricane Beryl relief fund, it has been announced that the Royal Navy shop has been sent to assist as well.
HMS Trent is currently making its way to the Cayman Islands with 50 sailors and is equipped with bottled water, basic emergency supplies and other equipment.
The MoD said the team includes members of the who will be able to 700X Naval Air Squadron who can conduct airborne assessments of the damage caused by the category five storm.
A specialist Rapid Deployment Team has already arrived in the area to help affected British nationals, it was added.
Emma Guinness4 July 2024 14:00
Laura Davis is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Broadway, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.