Meghan Markle "risked putting her own neck on the line" to support Prince Harry at the ESPY Awards but still "chose to be there for her husband," a new episode of Newsweek's The Royal Report podcast has heard.
Newsweek chief royal correspondent Jack Royston told listeners that the duchess looked "fantastic" on the red carpet of the ESPYs on July 11, as Harry faced a potentially "uncertain crowd" to accept the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
The prince was named the recipient of the award—which honors the legacy of former NFL player Tillman, who died while serving with the U.S. Army Rangers in Afghanistan in 2004—for his work with the Invictus Games veterans tournament, which turns 10 this year.
Harry is also a veteran who undertook two tours of Afghanistan during his years serving in the British Army. After his first tour, he received an operational service medal in 2008. He retired from the forces in 2015 before taking up full-time royal work, a large part of which was focused on his involvement with the Invictus Games and veterans.
Harry's ESPY honor sparked backlash after its announcement. Pat Tillman's mother, Mary Tillman, spoke out publicly, saying she believed it should have gone to someone who did not have the privileges or recognition of the prince.
Despite speculation over whether the royal would turn up at the ceremony, he appeared confident at the Hollywood event, strongly supported by his wife of six years.
"Meghan did look fantastic," Royston told Royal Report listeners of the duchess, who appeared in a floor-length white halter-neck gown designed for her by the creative team at Oscar de la Renta.
"And she clapped for Harry, and she was there in the audience. She could have tried to stay home and let Harry kind of step into the fire, step into the furnace alone," he said. "But she chose to be there for her husband, and she kind of risked putting her own neck on the line and her own reputation on the table to make sure he didn't face an uncertain crowd alone."
Since their split from the monarchy in 2020, Harry and Meghan have become a polarizing couple in terms of public support. They have fostered a solid and loyal fan base but still struggle in royal public opinion polling on both sides of the Atlantic.
After Harry's memoir Spare was published in 2023, a wave of fresh controversy surrounded the couple, with Meghan's absence during the prince's press promotions for the book being noted by critics.
The duchess' presence at the ESPYs provided fans with a rare opportunity to see the couple together at a red carpet event.
"Kudos to Meghan," Royston said, for placing marital unity above the drama. He noted it would have also "looked very bizarre if Meghan hadn't gone" because her friend Serena Williams was the awards show's host.
"It would have looked very kind of out of place if, you know, if one of your best friends was hosting and your husband's collecting an award for you to stay home," Royston said.
"You would have to think that it would look deliberate for people, so there was no neutral option for her. She had to choose to stand with Harry or choose to abandon him. But you know clearly, both from a PR point of view and from a marital health point of view, I think it's very good that she chose to stand by him."
Newsweek reached out to representatives of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle via email for comment.
At the awards show itself, Harry addressed the controversy head-on. He paid tribute to Mary Tillman and focused his acceptance speech not on himself but on the Invictus Games community and veterans.
"I'd like to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to everyone at the Pat Tillman Foundation, led by Marie Tillman Shenton [his widow], who I'm so honored is here tonight," Harry said onstage.
"I'd also like to acknowledge the Tillman family, especially Mrs. Mary Tillman, Pat's mother. Her 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."
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
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