Thursday night’s ESPY Awards was a night for sports royalty and … actual royalty. But why exactly were Meghan Markle and Prince Harry seated front row at ESPN’s annual ceremony? Prince Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Service for his work on the Invictus Games, so naturally they took it as a reason for an impromptu date night. And Markle caused everyone to do a double take with her custom Oscar de la Renta dress, a white halter gown that looked very similar to her wedding-reception dress from 2018. Paired with her signature pinned-back hairstyle, Celine shoes, and effortless makeup, the nod to her bridal style was hard to miss.
As for the actual ceremony, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex received a very special shout-out from host and friend of Markle Serena Williams. “It’s, well, actually only pretty often that I get to be in a room with actual royalty, and tonight is no exception. Prince Harry and Meghan are here. Let’s give it up for them,” Williams said. “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 cut to them laughing, unlike Harrison Butker, who received a not-as-nice shout-out from Williams.
Prince Harry’s award was one of the last, and he accepted it in a Giorgio Armani suit. While there was some backlash over his being awarded the Pat Tillman Award, specifically from Tillman’s mother, ESPN doubled down on its decision, saying, “While we understand not everyone will agree with all honourees selected for any award, the Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating.”
"No matter the road ahead, we are here for you. We will leave no one behind.”
— ESPN (@espn) July 12, 2024
-Prince Harry after accepting the Pat Tillman Award for Service ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8VBXBggYP4
