Prince Harry stunned by ‘bitter pill’ he has to swallow, but his downfall means big dollars for a so-called supporter

Between King Charles and Prince William’s frigid cold shoulders, Meghan Markle’s well-intentioned attempts that have yielded less than desirable results, and his many legal troubles, Prince Harry doesn’t have the attention span left to deduce who is really on his side. As it turns out, some might be unashamedly using it to their benefit, even at the cost of creating more trouble for the Duke of Sussex and his family.

Harry’s stay in America has been wrought with problems that bypass the Royal drama, as he has been found liable of deliberately destroying crucial legal evidence, had to cough up substantial dollars in the same case, and is also currently embroiled in the chaos around his lies and truth on his visa application.

These troubles reached new heights when it was announced that he would be the next recipient of the Pat Tillman Award, which is bestowed upon individuals who have made “remarkable civic contributions” and exhibited “extraordinary fortitude and spirit of service.” Many, along with Tillman’s mother, are bashing Harry for getting the award, as he is no “unsung hero.” The prince is being criticized from all sides — everything from his controversies to his Royal upbringing to being dragged through the mud for his life decisions — and only a small percentage of the American population is in favor of him receiving the award (via Newsweek).

Reportedly (via The Telegraph), Harry was not anticipating this rapidly worsening backlash and is stunned by this “particularly bitter pill” he has to swallow.

“Harry’s legacy on Invictus, the things he has achieved, that’s his real passion. This is the space in which he truly feels at home, it is something he deeply cares about. The reaction certainly took the shine off the award.”

Now, whether it is true or not that Meghan is the one who unleashed this fresh hell on her husband — and by extension, herself and her children — at least one person (or better yet, entity) is certainly benefitting from this negative turn of events.

Prince Harry’s big controversy and ignoring the demands to turn down the award is bad publicity but is still publicity

While Harry’s consistent silence, which is now being construed as his absolute refusal to turn down the Pat Tillman award, will only hurt his reputation, it is also expected to act as a magnet for attracting a record number of viewers to the live telecast of the ESPY Awards on July 11. Now, this is a victory everyone wants, but as per a TV consultant who works for ESPN, it is a necessary win for the network after its profit margin dropped by a worrying 20% last year. Meanwhile, the network has defended its choice to give Prince Harry the award and called it a “cause worth celebrating.”

“Prince Harry getting this award has drawn insane eyeballs to this show. They will stand firm on him getting it and also behind closed doors be excited that such a decision has prompted such interest in this night. Like it or loathe it, Harry draws interest and potentially bigger ratings – so they will keep him there.”

So, even as Prince Harry gets shunned and called desperate for attention, the whole drama is guaranteed to be a profitable deal for ESPN. Everyone, whether they are in favor of the decision or stubbornly against it, is bound to tune in, and in doing so will ensure that the controversy (re: attention) doesn’t die with Harry accepting the award and exiting the stage.