The ESPY Awards will be held tomorrow night, and despite the backlash and controversy over Prince Harry's nomination as the recipient of the Pat Tillman Distinguished Service Award, Us Weekly magazine reports that Harry "has no intention of turning down" the award.

The award "recognizes individuals with a strong connection to sports who have served others in a way that carries on the late Tillman's legacy," the magazine reported. Tillman played in the NFL, but after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, he enlisted as an Army Ranger and was killed by friendly fire in 2004 while serving in Afghanistan. He was only 27 years old.

As Marie Claire reported yesterday, Harry is reportedly "stunned" by the backlash and feels it is "bitter medicine." A petition has circulated that Harry is not the rightful recipient of the award, and Tillman's own mother, Mary Tillman, told The Daily Mail that she thinks there are "far more deserving" people who should receive the award.

It is certainly not without reason that Harry received this award. In addition to his 10 years of service in the British Army, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan, Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 to help wounded and injured soldiers, both veterans and those still serving, find community through sport. The Invictus Games just celebrated its 10th anniversary in May, and the upcoming 2025 Games in Canada will expand its scope to include winter sports for the first time.

The Games will be held in Vancouver and Whistler next year, and Harry sent a message to the Mirror saying he looks forward to seeing competitors "take on this new chapter with passion, determination and resilience to the fullest."

He added, "Congratulations to the athletes selected for Team U.K. to participate in the first ever Winter Invictus Games in Vancouver/Whistler next February. Team U.K. will compete alongside more than 500 competitors from 20 countries in this landmark event that will expand the scope and visibility of winter adaptive sports."

He added, "This competition will not only provide a great opportunity for our brave service members and veterans to showcase their skills in new challenges such as alpine skiing, snowboarding, and skeleton, but also provide a truly memorable experience for their families."

Harry's message came after The Telegraph reported that the backlash against the Tillman Prize and the "Living Legend of Aviation Award" he received earlier this year "presents a pressing issue" as Harry is "trying to build his career on the foundation of his past military service." Announced.

The Invictus Games has long been considered Harry's life's work, which ESPN acknowledged when naming him the winner of the Tillman Prize.

After Harry's selection was denounced, ESPN doubled down and defended him, telling TMZ Sports in a statement." We understand that not everyone agrees with every honoree selected for any award, but the Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a laudable initiative."

Meghan Markle will attend tomorrow's awards ceremony, which will be held near her Montecito home in Los Angeles, with Harry, and will air on ABC at 8 p.m. Meghan's good friend and tennis legend Serena Williams will host the event.