Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were left squirming in their seats as their long-time friend, tennis legend Serena Williams, couldn’t resist making a playful jibe at their expense at the 2024 ESPY Awards.

The Duke of Sussex was present at the star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles to accept the prestigious Pat Tillman Award for Service. However, his acceptance of the ESPN accolade – which honours a heroic soldier and former NFL player – has drawn criticism from some quarters who claim it’s “exceptionally bad publicity” for him, the Express reports.

Serena, who was hosting the evening, started her opening monologue with a cheeky shout-out to the famous and controversial Royal couple. She playfully quipped that while they should be welcomed warmly by the audience, they ought not to breathe too much tonight.

Adding some extra spice to her joke, Serena said: “Because this is my night and I don’t want to be overshadowed by accusations you guys are taking up too much oxygen.”

To their credit, Harry and Meghan seemed to take the jest in good humour, laughing along as the camera focused on them among the crowd.

Serena and the Sussex’s share a long history, with their paths first intertwining at the 2010 Super Bowl. Meghan reflected on this friendship in her blog, The Tig, in 2014: “We are both the same age, have a penchant for hot sauces and adore fashion, but what connects us more than those things is perhaps our belief in exceeding expectations – our endless ambition.”

Some Royal pundits have voiced doubts over whether Prince Harry should have accepted his recent accolade, given the intense scrutiny surrounding his nomination. Hilary Fordwich, an acknowledged commentator on British Royal affairs, told Fox News: “His refusal to turn down the Pat Tillman Award, despite suffering a furious backlash with the petition urging ESPN to reconsider its decision…tangibly shows how his popularity has plummeted.”

Meanwhile, Admiral Lord Alan West, previous head of the Royal Navy and a Labour peer, also criticised Harry’s acceptance. He advised: “The latest lash out at him is Admiral Lord Alan West, Former Royal Navy Chief and Labour peer, saying that ‘he ought to think very hard and long’ about accepting this particular award as it ‘doesn’t travel well with people in the military.'”.

Christopher Andersen, the writer behind ‘The King’, has praised Prince Harry for accepting the ESPN honour, saying: “Harry obviously considered it a great honour and given what he has done for wounded veterans through his Invictus Games, the Duke of Sussex certainly seemed a logical choice.”

He continued in defence of the royal’s actions: “Harry is so proud of his military service and Invictus that it’s no wonder he is stunned by the backlash. Harry is used to being raked over the coals, but this is a genuine heartbreak for him.”

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