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The year was 2024 and tensions were high at the annual Aspen Institute awards ceremony. Prince Harry was set to give a speech after being awarded the Pat Tillman Award for Service, but fiery tennis star Venus Williams was not going to sit idly by. As Harry took the stage, Venus let out an audible sigh and began muttering under her breath.
"They are so shallow to believe that collecting awards is going to make them so popular and well-liked," Venus said. "How many awards have they collected already after they left the royal family? Instead of buying awards, why not use the money to donate to charities? They always attach themselves to awards - that's how they get those awards."
Her criticism was not unfounded. Ever since Harry and his wife Meghan stepped back from their royal duties in 2020, they had embarked on an award acceptance spree around the world. While they claimed to prize philanthropy over publicity, many saw the awards as simply buying favorable press and building their brand.
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Harry began his speech, thanking the Aspen Institute for the honor. But Venus's criticisms only grew louder as he spoke. "Harry's full speech first he uses the Veterans as a shield," she said. "He needs them on stage second he shouts out Mary Tilman and then starts about the unbreakable bond between a mother and son."
Her outrage reached a boiling point. "Shameful to accept this award in the name of Pat Tilman, a true hero, while Harold is a zero," Venus exclaimed angrily. "He makes me sick, keeping the veterans up there to take the heat off him. I hope he really comes undone with this one, using the Diana card again and having the audacity to mention Mary Tillman. He truly deserves some karma coming his way."
Pat Tillman was an NFL star who gave up his career to join the Army after 9/11. He died serving in Afghanistan in 2004 at the age of 27. The circumstances around his death were suspicious and controversial. His mother Mary had been openly critical of Harry receiving the award named after her son, saying he did not exemplify Pat's values of service, honor and sacrifice.
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Venus was right that Harry's move to mention both Tillman and his mother in his speech was in poor taste, given Mary's vocal opposition. But Harry pressed on, recounting platitudes about duty, honor and the unbreakable bond between a mother and fallen son. The audience grew uncomfortable, shifting in their seats, as Venus's mutterings grew louder and more caustic.
"Please, the background with Pat Tillman says award for service," Venus continued. "This is a travesty. Harry has performed no service. He has veterans on stage with him who have lost limbs and been burnt - that's service. ESPN got strong enough to give this lying, grifting POS this award even though Pat Tillman's mother issued her statement against it."
Her views echoed those of many at the ceremony and online. Harry and Meghan were seen as doing little real "service" since leaving Britain, other than give a few speeches and interviews about their struggles with the monarchy and media. Their fans said they deserved credit for raising awareness of important issues, but critics viewed many of their post-royal moves as self-promotional rather than truly philanthropic.
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Venus wasn't done. "I am convinced these awards are about Harry's visa issues. He is clearly on shaky ground and needs to get the exceptional person visa but the trouble with that is that he is far from exceptional. So they need to bolster his case with these awards." She had a point - Harry and Meghan were reportedly hoping awards would help strengthen their immigration application to the US.
By now, Harry was visibly flustered, though he tried to keep going through a strained smile. But Venus was on a roll. "Wards both Harry and Megan are smug con artists. We all know Megan Markle loves plagiarizing other people's speeches and quotes to include in her speeches, which leads me to believe Megan Markle wrote Harry's garbage speech, which was also condescending and passive aggressive towards Mary Tillman."
Her scathing assessment seemed to strike a nerve with the couple. Finally, Venus delivered one last burst. "I think she wrote Harry's disrespectful speech. The audacity to not only use the dead soldier but also bring his poor mother, who openly opposed this, is disgusting on a different level. He knew how she felt about him getting the award and he had the nerve of mentioning her. He really is hateful and shameless."
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By this point, security had come to escort Venus out, but not before she shouted one last parting shot. "Harry is such a little prick who doesn't deserve the award for one! But to rub it in his mother's face makes him a special kind of POS. And in an attempt to negate Mrs Tillman's opinion of him - gross! He did the full patronizing menu. He's very worried about losing the Invictus and certainly doesn't want to jeopardize any TV deal he might get on ESPN. All about the grift!"
The spectacle dominated headlines for weeks. While some condemned Venus's outburst, many agreed with her fierce criticisms of Harry and Meghan constantly using high-profile platforms to boost their brand through gratuitous awards acceptance and speeches about their struggles, without enough substance behind their causes. It seemed their popularity had peaked, and such an public shaming might force them to reconsider their opportunistic approach going forward. But only time would tell how they chose to respond.
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