NEW YORK, NY – Prince Harry, Meghan, and Meghan’s mother were caught up in a dangerous encounter with paparazzi photographers in a “near catastrophic car chase” after attending an awards ceremony in New York, according to a spokesperson for the prince.
The incident involved several cars with tinted windows, driving recklessly and jeopardizing the lives of Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland, and others, the spokesperson stated.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms. Ragland were involved last night in a near catastrophic car chase orchestrated by an aggressive group of paparazzi,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“This relentless pursuit lasted over two hours and resulted in multiple near collisions with other drivers, pedestrians, and two NYPD (New York Police Department) officers.”
Although shaken by the incident, the couple and Meghan’s mother emerged unharmed.
Prince Harry has long expressed his anger about press intrusion, which he holds responsible for the death of his mother, Princess Diana. Princess Diana was tragically killed in 1997 when her limousine crashed while trying to evade pursuing paparazzi in Paris.
The couple’s spokesperson noted that the chase on Tuesday, after leaving the Ziegfeld Ballroom in midtown Manhattan, had the potential to be fatal. The paparazzi involved reportedly drove on sidewalks, ran red lights, and took pictures while operating their vehicles.
The spokesperson stated that police officers had confronted those involved in the chase on multiple occasions. A representative from the New York Police Department stated that they could not confirm any details about the incident.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams reported that he had been briefed on the incident and expressed concerns about the potential injury of two NYPD officers.
“I don’t think there’s many of us who don’t recall how, how his mom died,” Adams told reporters. “And it would be horrific to lose an innocent bystander during a chase like this and something to have happened to them as well.”
He mentioned that he would receive a detailed briefing later but found it difficult to believe that a high-speed chase lasting two hours had taken place.
“A 10-minute chase is extremely dangerous in New York City,” Adams remarked.
The Ms. Foundation for Women, the organizers of the awards ceremony where Meghan was honored, did not provide an immediate comment. Buckingham Palace also refrained from commenting.
‘Serious Invasion of Privacy’
Images that subsequently surfaced on social media depicted Prince Harry, Meghan, and Meghan’s mother inside a New York taxi. The spokesperson claimed that these images offered “a small glimpse at the defense and decoys required to end the harassment.”
The couple, who currently reside in California with their two children, had been staying at a private residence but opted not to return there to ensure the safety of the individual involved, according to their spokesperson.
“While being public figures comes with a certain level of public interest, it should never come at the expense of anyone’s safety,” the spokesperson emphasized. “The dissemination of these images, obtained through intrusive means, encourages a highly invasive practice that endangers everyone involved.”
Prince Harry has never concealed his disdain for the press, which stems from his mother’s treatment and his own experiences, particularly during his youth.
In his memoir “Spare,” the couple’s Netflix documentary series, and television interviews, he has criticized British tabloids for invading his and his family’s privacy. This was one of the primary reasons cited by Prince Harry and Meghan when they stepped down from their royal roles in 2020 and relocated to the United States.
based on a report by Michael Holden