According to the couple’s representative, British Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were chased by paparazzi in New York and engaged in a “near catastrophic” automobile pursuit.
They were in the city on Tuesday with Doria Ragland, Meghan’s mother, for an occasion where the duchess was presented with an award.
According to reports, the three of them were involved in a “relentless pursuit” involving six darkened vehicles.
A representative for Harry and Meghan announced the following in a statement on Wednesday:
“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.
“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 involved.”
Harry, Meghan, and Ms. Ragland are believed to have been staying at a private residence and did not want to jeopardize their friend’s home’s security.
The group had attended the Ms. Foundation for Women’s 50th-anniversary gala, where “game-changing” grantee partners and inspirational leaders dedicated to the organization’s mission of “advance[ing] collective power and creating safe, just, and equitable futures for women, girls, and gender-expansive people” were honored.
In recognition of her “global advocacy to empower and advocate on behalf of women and girls,” Meghan won the Ms. Foundation’s Women of Vision Award.
This was Harry and Meghan’s first public outing since she missed his father, Britain’s King Charles III, being crowned earlier in the month.
It is understood that the pair feels that the pursuit, which featured six blacked-out vehicles and unidentified drivers threatening the convoy and everyone nearby, would have been fatal.
In this example, Harry and Meghan publicly entered and exited the location, allowing photographers to take images. It is reported that Harry and Meghan are accustomed to receiving increased attention when they attend public events.
Reversing down a one-way street, illegally blocking a moving car, driving while taking photos, and using a phone while driving are among the alleged traffic infractions.
Additionally, it is claimed that after numerous confrontations with uniformed police, individuals involved maintained their chase. These claims are supported by security camera footage as well as other pieces of evidence.
It will be recalled that a similar incident happened to Diana, the mother of Prince Harry. She was murdered in an accident in 1997 while her car was being followed by paparazzi through the streets of Paris by a drunk driver.
