The tennis legend's reaction to the Duke of Sussex being honored with the Pat Tillman Award For Service at the Thursday, July 11 ceremony sparks debate among Internet users.
- July 16, 2024
AceShowbiz - Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle may not have the best relationship with Venus Williams. The tennis legend allegedly shaded the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are friends with her sister Serena Williams, at the 2024 ESPY Awards.
At the ceremony on Thursday, July 11, Venus could be seen sitting next to the royal couple. When Harry was called on stage to receive the Pat Tillman Award For Service, Meghan quickly shot up and clapped for her husband. Some audience members at the back followed suit, clapping and giving Harry a standing ovation.
Venus, however, remained seated during the celebratory time. The tennis legend didn't even clap for Harry as she appeared to sport a straight face. Despite that, the athlete was later seen standing up with the rest of the audience while Harry delivered his speech.
Upon catching wind of Venus' reaction to Harry being honored at the event, Internet users had divided opinions on whether she snubbed the royal. "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?" one person asked. "And is Meghan doing this for Harry? It seems more performative to draw attention to herself."
Another person claimed, "Venus is not standing and not clapping. She knows this is a bought award." Someone else added, "Are they still butt hurt that Venus and that whole front row shaded Harry… the video was even crystal clear." One user pointed out, "Venus did not stand up or clap… ooooh the shade. And the side eye from the audience was strong."
"I love Venus Williams. Thank you for not putting on a fake face and hiding your true feelings about this ridiculous man," someone noted. A person, meanwhile, thought that Venus wasn't aware that some people were standing up for Harry, saying, "A lot of people are not standing - everyone else probably just felt pressured to."
A source, on the other hand, told Page Six that there's "no story here." The insider stressed, "You can see in the video she stood up to show her support."
