Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, were involved in a chaotic car chase with paparazzi in New York City on Tuesday night. The couple’s security team said that the paparazzi were driving recklessly and endangering the safety of the couple and others on the road.
The incident began after Harry and Meghan left the Women of Vision Awards at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan. They were followed by a group of paparazzi in cars, motorcycles, and scooters. The paparazzi were reportedly driving at high speeds and weaving in and out of traffic.
Harry and Meghan’s security team tried to lose the paparazzi by switching cars and taking different routes. However, the paparazzi were able to keep up. The chase lasted for over two hours and covered several miles.
At one point, the paparazzi drove the wrong way down a one-way street and nearly collided with an NYPD officer. The officer was forced to take evasive action to avoid being hit.
The chase ended when Harry and Meghan’s security team took them to a police precinct. The paparazzi were not allowed to enter the precinct.
The couple’s security team said that the incident was “reckless” and “dangerous.” They said that the paparazzi were putting the safety of the couple and others on the road at risk.
The New York Police Department is investigating the incident.
Mayor condemns ‘reckless’ paparazzi
New York City Mayor Eric Adams condemned the paparazzi’s actions. He said that the paparazzi were “reckless” and “irresponsible.”
“You shouldn’t be speeding anywhere, but this is a densely populated city,” Adams said. “And I think all of us, I don’t think there’s many of us who don’t recall how his mom died.”
Adams was referring to the death of Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997.
Duke of Sussex has been vocal about security
The Duke of Sussex has been vocal about the security of his family. He has often highlighted parallels between his wife’s treatment and that faced by his mother.
In the couple’s Netflix six-part docuseries, Harry pushed back against critics who have said the couple has a problem with paparazzi.
“Back in my mum’s day, it was physical harassment – cameras in your face, following you, chasing you,” he said.
“Paparazzi still harass people,” he added. “But the harassment really exists more online now. Once the photographs are out and the stories then put next to it, then comes the social media harassment. To see another woman in my life, who I love, go through this feeding frenzy – that’s hard. It is basically the hunter versus the prey.”
Couple’s spokesperson urges media not to publish photos
The couple’s spokesperson urged the media not to publish photos from the incident.
“Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all involved,” the spokesperson said.
It is unclear whether any photos from the incident were published.
