NY Paparazzi Chase Prince Harry and Meghan? Cab Driver Disagrees.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Involved in Dangerous Car Chase with Paparazzi

LONDON/ NEW YORK (Reuters) –

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and her mother were involved in a “near catastrophic” car chase with press photographers after attending an awards ceremony in New York, according to Harry’s spokesperson. The incident involved “a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi” in half a dozen cars with blacked-out windows, driving dangerously and putting the lives of the couple and Doria Ragland in danger.

• The relentless pursuit lasted over two hours and resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians, and two NYPD officers.
• The couple, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were shaken but unharmed.
• The NYPD, which assisted the private security team protecting them, made the incident sound less serious.
• Taxi driver Sukhcharn Singh, who drove the group and a security guard for around 10 minutes, said he never felt like he was in danger.

Pictures on social media show Harry, Meghan, and her mother sitting in the back of a New York taxi, which their spokesperson said showed “a small glimpse at the defense and decoys required to end the harassment”.

Prince Harry’s Long-Standing Dislike for the Press

Prince Harry has long spoken out about his anger at press intrusion, which he blames for the death of his mother Princess Diana. The couple’s spokesperson said the chase on Tuesday could also have been fatal and involved paparazzi driving on the sidewalk, running red lights, and driving while taking pictures.

New York City mayor Eric Adams said he had received a briefing that two NYPD officers could have been injured in the incident. The Ms. Foundation for Women, the organizers of the awards ceremony where Meghan was honored for her work, said it was horrified by the episode.

Buckingham Palace had no comment. The couple, who live in California with their two young children, had been staying at a private residence but decided against returning there as they did not wish to compromise their host’s safety, according to their spokesperson.

Prince Harry is currently involved in numerous court cases in London where he has accused newspapers of using unlawful methods to target him and his family. While papers reject nearly all his allegations, one publisher last week apologized for unlawfully seeking information about him in 2004. He is also seeking to overturn a decision by the British government to take away his specialist police protection when he is in Britain.