Fans speculated whether Venus Williams subtly shaded Prince Harry at the 2024 ESPYs during his acceptance of the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
At Thursday’s ceremony, Williams was seated next to Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, as Harry was called to the stage to accept his award. Markle immediately stood up and clapped for Harry setting an example that was quickly followed by the audience with a standing ovation.
However, Williams remained seated and did not clap for the California-based royal at that moment. Later, she was seen standing with the rest of the audience as Harry delivered his speech.
In his acceptance speech, Harry highlighted the mission of the Invictus Games, emphasizing the creation of a “community” that unites people regardless of nationality, background, or personal struggles.
Despite Williams eventually standing for Harry and appearing to listen attentively, fans took to social media to share their mixed reactions.
“I’m loving Venus at the moment. But let’s be honest. Should any wife LEAD the standing ovation for her husband? Especially if she’s in the front row? And is Meghan doing this for Harry? It seems more performative to draw attention to herself,” one user criticized on X (formerly Twitter).
“Venus is not standing and not clapping. She knows this is a bought award,” claimed another.
“Are they still butt hurt that Venus and that whole front row shaded Harry… the video was even crystal clear,” another comment read.
“Venus did not stand up or clap… ooooh the shade. And the side eye from the audience was strong,” pointed out another user.
“I love Venus Williams. Thank you for not putting on a fake face and hiding your true feelings about this ridiculous man,” one added.
Conversely, some theorized that Williams might not have been aware of the audience’s actions because she was in the front row.
“A lot of people are not standing – everyone else probably just felt pressured to,” noted one observer.
“Lots of people not clapping?” another user tweeted.
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Interestingly, Markle has been friends with Venus’ sister, Serena Williams, for over a decade. Markle previously mentioned that she and Serena “hit it off immediately” and Serena attended her 2018 wedding to Harry.
During the ESPYs, Serena teased Harry and Meghan, jokingly asking them to “try not to breathe too much tonight,” to avoid overshadowing the event with accusations of taking up too much attention.
Harry accepted the Pat Tillman Award, named after the former NFL player who died while serving in the military, despite some controversy. Mary Tillman, Pat’s mother, criticized the selection, telling the Daily Mail, “I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award. There are recipients that are far more fitting. Individuals are working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.”
While Harry did not address the controversy directly, he acknowledged Mary Tillman and her efforts to preserve her son’s legacy, stating, “The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
