Prince Harry was controversially nominated for the Pat Tillman Award for his work with the Invictus Games as he looks to lean into his work with the military.

Prince Harry is “feeling lost” as he attempts to “validate himself” using his links to the Armed Forces, a close pal of the late Princess Diana has said.

Richard Kay, who famously wrote Diana’s biography and developed a close bond to the Princess of Wales, believes the Duke of Sussex has appeared “lost” since quitting the UK for America with Meghan Markle in 2020. It comes as commentators believe the Sussexes are attempting to “reinvent” themselves.

Meghan has recently launched her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, while Harry has been promoting the Invictus Games. The pair also recently visited Nigeria in what was branded an “unofficial royal tour”.

However, speaking on the Palace Confidential podcast, Kay was asked whether Harry appears like he “feels a bit lost”. It comes after reports said Harry had “struggled to find his niche” after moving to Montecito.

He said: “It kind of feels like it’s been that way for the last four years, I mean he wanted to break away, he did break away, he turned his back on service but he’s sort of umbilically linked if you like still to that same cause because he needs to validate himself.

“Also it seems to me the one way he can validate himself is through his military links and no one is criticising those.

“He was a brave soldier, he did two tours in Afghanistan, but nevertheless the constant reminder of his military connection grates with a lot of people who can’t get over the fact he chose financial gain and a break from royal tradition ahead of service.”

Having completed two tours of Afghanistan, Harry founded the Invictus Games to help wounded service personnel and their families in 2014. In 2021, he told Parade that his military service was “the happiest times in my life”.

However, he has recently come under fire after being given the Pat Tillman Award at the ESPY (Excellence in Sport Performance Yearly) Awards for his work with the games. The award is named after former NFL player and US Army Ranger Pat Tillman, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.

Tillman’s mother, Mary, told the Mail she was “shocked” at Harry’s nomination when there “are recipients that are far more fitting”. While Admiral Lord Alan West, who was First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff from 2002-06, also criticised the move.

Collecting the award, Harry paid tribute to his mother and said he was receiving it on behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation. He said: “I stand here not as Prince Harry, Pat Tillman Award recipient, but rather a voice on behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service personnel from over 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games a reality.

“This award belongs to them, not to me.”