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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, were involved in a paparazzi pursuit in New York City Tuesday (May 16). PEOPLE reports that the couple and Ragland were involved in a “near catastrophic car chase” while being pursued by “a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi” in the city on Tuesday night.
“Last night, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms. Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi. This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “While being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public, it should never come at the cost of anyone's safety. Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all in involved.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ragland were in the Big Apple attending the Ms. Foundation's Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan where Meghan was honored.
The NYPD issued a statement about the incident saying how it was “challenging” for the trio.
“The NYPD assisted the private security team protecting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. There were numerous photographers that made their transport challenging,” the statement said. “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard.”
Taxi driver Sukhcharn Singh who was a witness to the paparazzi incident told the Washington Post about the almost 10 minutes he spent with Harry, Meghan, and Doria in his vehicle. He told the outlet that he picked up the couple and with “an older Black woman and one security guard” around 11 p.m. on Tuesday night. According to Singh, the security guard waved down his car.
“They kept following us and were coming next to the car,” he told the publication. “They took pictures as we stopped and were filming us.”
“I don't think I would call it a chase,” he added. “I never felt like I was in danger. It wasn't like a car chase in a movie. They were quiet and seemed scared but it's New York — it's safe.”
A photographer told PEOPLE that he would not call pursuit “near catastrophic.”
“Nobody got a ticket or arrested…I don't see how it was near catastrophic other than crazy hyperbole,” they say. A second source added, “At any point, they could have gone to a police station or pulled into a garage.”
Celebrity photo agency Backgrid USA Inc. also made a statement in regards to the incident. They had four freelance photographers working Tuesday night.
“At BACKGRID USA Inc., we value transparency and ethics in journalism, which include providing fair and factual responses to claims. We are aware of Prince Harry's statement regarding an alleged ‘near catastrophic car chase' involving himself, Meghan Markle, and her mother, in New York City on Tuesday night,” the statement began.
“We want to clarify that we have received photos and videos of last night's events from four freelance photographers, three of whom were in cars and one of whom was riding a bicycle. It is important to note that these photographers have a professional responsibility to cover newsworthy events and personalities, including public figures such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. According to the accounts given by these freelance contributors, they were covering the couple's stay in New York City, including the possibility of a dinner after an award ceremony. They had no intention of causing any distress or harm, as their only tool was their cameras. A few of the photos even show Meghan Markle smiling inside a cab,” it continued.
“The photographers report that one of the four SUVs from Prince Harry's security escort was driving in a manner that could be perceived as reckless. The vehicle was seen blocking off streets, and in one video, it is shown being pulled over by the police. We understand that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's security detail had a job to do, and we respect their work. We do, however, want to point out that according to the photographers present, there were no near-collisions or near-crashes during this incident. The photographers have reported feeling that the couple was not in immediate danger at any point. At BACKGRID USA Inc., we do not condone any form of harassment or illegal activity. We are taking Prince Harry's allegations seriously and will be conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.”
However, that is not what Harry and Meghan's security detail said about the incident. The security detail told CNN's Max Foster, “What we were dealing with was very chaotic…The public were in jeopardy at several points. It could have been fatal.”
Harry has been vocal about how much he dislikes paparazzi which he explained in his January memoir Spare. The Duke of Sussex also has been open about his fear of having “history repeating itself,” in the aspect of Meghan being treated harshly in the press like his mother Diana.
Princess Diana, died in a Paris car crash while being pursued by paparazzi in 1997.
