Nearly four out of 10 Americans think Prince Harry was wrong to receive the Pat Tillman Award, a new survey has found.

The Duke, 39, picked up the service award typically given to unsung heroes last week in a glitzy ceremony at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.

But it triggered an angry backlash as more than 76,000 people signed a petition demanding the decision was reversed, while he has now come under increasing pressure to hand the trophy back.

Tillman’s own mom Mary pummeled the choice to offer him the honor that honor’s her dead child naming Harry ‘a dubious and disruptive person’.

Presently, a survey of 1,500 Americans seems to back her with 38% saying it was off-base for Harry to be given the honor.

While the endorsement rating Stateside of his significant other Meghan Markle, who sat radiating proudly in the crowd as Harry gathered the honor, is still lower than Sovereign William and Princess Kate’s in one more catastrophe for the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es.

Nearly four out of 10 Americans think Prince Harry was wrong to receive the Pat Tillman Award

A beaming Meghan Markle places her hand on Harry’s leg as the couple pose for the cameras at the glitzy ceremony in Los Angeles

Of those asked by polling agency Redfield and Wilton, only 21 per cent came out in support of the prince. The other 41 per cent said they ‘didn’t know’.

Tillman was hailed in the US after giving up his lucrative NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist as an Army Ranger after 9/11.

He served in Iraq and then Afghanistan, where he was 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed by friendly fire in 2004 – when he was 27.

During his acceptance speech, Harry, who was honoured for his work with the Invictus Games, appeared to offer an olive branch to Mary.

‘Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect,’ he said. ‘The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.’

But notably, Venus Williams – whose sister Serena hosted the awards – appeared to stay seated during a standing ovation for Harry.

Although some condemned the choice of Prince Harry as a recipient of the award, ESPN defended it and cited his role in setting up the Invictus Games – which he mentioned as he dedicated the award to ‘the entire service community’.

‘While we understand not everyone will agree with all honorees selected for any award, The Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating,’ the network said in a statement to the New York Post.

The Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es were greeted to much fanfare in America in 2020 when they upped sticks from the UK to step away from royal life and set up home in California.

The award is named after Pat Tillman, an NFL player who gave up his lucrative career to enlist in the army in the wake of 9/11. He died in Afghanistan in 2004 

Mary Tillman, the fallen NFL star-turned-veteran’s mother, she was ‘shocked’ her son’s award would go to ‘such a controversial and divisive figure’ 

Prince Harry, who raised eyebrows last month when he was announced as the winner, was greeted on stage by three previous recipients of the Pat Tillman Award 

Tillman won legions of fans over his three years in the NFL playing for the Arizona Cardinals

The couple received a huge cheer as they were announced at the event by host Serena Williams, who jokingly warned them not to ‘overshadow’ her 

The Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021 was watched by in excess of 17 million Americans and was commended in the US press.

The popular assessment of the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es seemed to wind down following the arrival of Harry’s disputable journal Spare in January 2023.

A Newsweek survey around the time found 45% of Americans were supportive of them being deprived of their illustrious titles. A month sooner that figure was switched with 43% saying they ought to keep them.

Furthermore, in the latest endorsement rating Meghan was all the while lingering behind the Ruler and Princess of Ribs.

Regardless of in May seeing her fame among Americans improve from 31% to 36 percent, Princess Kate was loved by 45% to stay the US’ most loved illustrious.

Harry’s was seen somewhat better as he was enjoyed by 42% of Americans. About 40% of those surveyed said they loved Sovereign William.