What ESPY award is Prince Harry receiving and why?

Some of the biggest names in sport have been nominated for the 2024 ESPY awards, as you might expect. Patrick Mahomes, Simone Biles, Shohei Ohtani, Scottie Scheffler and Caitlin Clark are among those hoping to be recognised following their achievements in their respective sports, but one man is already assured of a prize - Prince Harry (yes, that one).

What are the ESPY awards?

ESPY is an acronym for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly, and the award does exactly what it says on the tin.

There are individual and team prizes for athletic achievements and other sports-related performances in the year up to the ceremony. This year’s event will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday 11 July, with tennis great Serena Williams hosting.

Mahomes, Ohtani, Scheffler and NHL star Connor McDavid will compete to be voted as best male athlete, with Clark going up against fellow WNBA player A’ja Wilson, golfer Nelly Korda and top tennis talent Coco Gauff in the women’s category.

There will be no voting needed for Prince Harry, however, who will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service for his work in setting up the Invictus Games.

What are the Invictus Games?

The Invictus Games were founded in 2014 by Prince Harry, who had visited the Warrior Games in the United States the previous year. The international event is similar to the Olympics in style and is made up of multi-sport comPetitions for wounded, injured and sick (WIS) servicemen and women, whether serving or veterans.

The Duke of Sussex spent 10 years in the army (2005 to 2015) and was deployed on active duty to Afghanistan on two separate occasions. “This one is for our entire service community,” said the 39-year-old after discovering he would be receiving the award.

Former NFL player Steve Gleason, for documenting his experience with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and basketball coach Dawn Stanley, for his contributions to women’s basketball, will also be given honorary awards.

“These honourees have used their platforms to change the world and make it more inclusive for marginalised and suffering communities, demonstrating incredible resilience, positivity and perseverance, and we’re thrilled to celebrate them at The 2024 ESPYS,” said Kate Jackson, ESPN’s vice president of production.