Prince Harry and Meghan ‘paparazzi automobile chase’ was not ‘close to catastrophic’, NYPD officers recommend

May 17, 2023 at 8:08 PM

Prince Harry, his spouse Meghan and her mom had been concerned in a “near catastrophic” automobile chase after being adopted by paparazzi for greater than two hours, based on his spokesperson.

But two New York police officers have performed down the incident saying they don’t imagine the chase was “near catastrophic” and described a “bit of a chaotic scene”.

The Sussexes had been pushed round 57th road and close by roads for round an hour and quarter-hour as they had been adopted by paparazzi earlier than they had been dropped off on the New York City Police Department’s nineteenth precinct, officers have mentioned.

A taxi driver who picked up Harry, Meghan and her mom Doria Ragland outdoors the precinct round quarter-hour later mentioned photographers tried to take images and seize movies throughout their quick time in his automobile.

Sukhcharn Singh instructed The Washington Post: “I do not assume I’d name it a chase. I by no means felt like I used to be at risk.

“It wasn’t like a car chase in a movie. (Harry and Meghan) were quiet and seemed scared but it’s New York – it’s safe.”

Mr Singh additionally mentioned his automobile was pursued by two automobiles – a black Honda Accord and an older gray Honda CR-V.

He continued: “(Photographers) kept following us and were coming next to the car. They took pictures as we stopped and were filming us.”

Mr Singh additionally mentioned he obtained the impression from the Sussexes that they’d already been pursued by paparazzi earlier than they obtained in his automobile.

The journey solely lasted round 10 minutes as Harry and Meghan’s safety guard grew involved concerning the photographers and requested Mr Singh to return to the precinct the place he had initially picked them up.

Meanwhile, New York’s mayor Eric Adams has mentioned two cops may have been injured as they assisted Harry and Meghan’s personal safety staff whereas their automobile was being adopted.

The pursuit befell after the Sussexes had attended an awards ceremony on the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Tuesday – their first public look because the King’s coronation.

Harry’s spokesperson mentioned: “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 a number of close to collisions involving different drivers on the highway, 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 those pictures, given the methods through which they had been obtained, encourages a extremely intrusive observe that’s harmful to all concerned.”

Julian Phillips, the deputy commissioner of the New York Police Department, has said officers “assisted the personal safety staff defending the Duke and Duchess of Sussex”.

He continued: “There had been quite a few photographers that made their transport difficult. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their vacation spot and there have been no reported collisions, summonses, accidents, or arrests in regard.”

Read extra:
Analysis: It’s impossible not to be reminded of Diana
What has Prince Harry previously said about the paparazzi?

New York’s mayor mentioned later: “The press or paparazzi, you know, they want to get the right shot, they want to get the right story.

“But public security should at all times be on the forefront. In a briefing I acquired (I heard) two of our officers may have been injured… I do not assume there’s many people who do not recall how (Harry’s) mum died.

“It would be horrific to lose the innocent bystander during a chase like this and something to have happened to them as well.”

Mr Adams added he believes the behaviour of these following the Sussexes was “reckless and irresponsible”.

Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace haven’t commented.

Timeline of the automobile chase

Police sources in New York have given the next breakdown of what occurred on Tuesday evening.

:: Harry and Meghan go away the Ziegfeld Ballroom with personal safety with them at round 10pm native time. Police say the couple needed to return to the place they had been staying on the Upper East Side.

:: Harry and Meghan did not need paparazzi to know the place they had been going so that they had been pushed throughout 57th road and different streets for about an hour and fifteen minutes. One NYPD automobile was escorting their automobile.

:: The Sussexes had been pushed to the nineteenth precinct and stayed there round quarter-hour. Police helped get the pair get off the block and so they obtained into a unique automobile. They obtained to their residence with out being adopted. Police have mentioned it was a little bit of a chaotic scene.

Harry, Meghan and Ms Ragland had been reportedly adopted by half a dozen blacked-out automobiles which had been being pushed by unidentified individuals.

The automobiles are mentioned to have pushed on pavements, jumped pink lights and reversed down a one-way road.

It has additionally been mentioned not less than one driver was utilizing their cellphone behind the wheel.

At least one different is reported to have been photographing whereas driving.

One of the vehicles is alleged to have illegally blocked a transferring automobile.

Those pursuing the Sussexes are mentioned to have been confronted by uniformed police a number of instances however continued their pursuit.

Harry and Meghan are thought to have been staying at a non-public residence and didn’t wish to compromise the safety of their good friend’s residence.

Omid Scobie, who wrote the e book “Finding Freedom” about Harry and Meghan, has tweeted to say a supply has mentioned the Sussexes and Ms Ragland are “understandably shaken but thankful everyone’s safe”.

Analysis: The paparazzi seem ready to hunt and hound the Sussexes regardless of the dangers

It’s unattainable to not be reminded of Diana. A relentless pursuit, photographers recklessly driving, and all for an image of individuals at the back of a automobile.

By the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s account, what occurred in Manhattan was scary, harmful, and really almost deadly.

Prince Harry attracts big consideration and he is aware of a public outing with Meghan – the primary because the coronation – would entice much more curiosity. But he actually will not have anticipated this.

The US is his residence now – one of many causes he moved was to flee the British press. Except the press are in every single place, and the urge for food for a photograph of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex collectively appears insatiable.

In the previous, Harry has spoken about paparazzi leaping on the bonnet of his automobile.

But after all, most poignantly he is spoken at size about Diana’s relationship with the press, and the incessant intrusion he skilled rising up.

Losing his mom has made him much more protecting of his personal younger household. In a latest interview, he mentioned: “I never want to be in that position… I don’t want history to repeat itself.”

What occurred on the streets of Manhattan, a world away from royal life, reveals us two vital issues.

Firstly, there stays a clamouring media curiosity within the couple, with paparazzi looking and hounding them.

And secondly, maybe extra worryingly, they’re ready to take action regardless of the dangers.

Pictures which have appeared on social media have proven Harry, Meghan and her mom Ms Ragland in a taxi.

The Duchess of Sussex had inspired ladies to struggle for fairness on the Ms. Foundation for Women’s annual gala.

“It’s never too late to start,” she mentioned on the occasion in New York. “You can be the visionary of your own life… There is still so much work to be done.”

Harry and Meghan stepped down from their royal roles in 2020 and moved to the United States partly due to what they described as intense media harassment.

The prince has lengthy spoken out about his anger about press intrusion which he blames for the demise of his mom, Princess Diana, who was killed when her limousine crashed because it sped away from chasing paparazzi in Paris in 1997.

The automobile chase comes after a person was reportedly arrested outdoors Harry and Meghan’s residence for stalking within the early hours of Monday, based on TMZ.

A consultant for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office instructed the movie star news website they obtained a name from safety staffers on the couple’s LA mansion at round 2am native time.