Global Courant 2023-05-17 19:39:38
Britain’s Prince Harry, his wife Meghan and her mother were involved in a “near catastrophic chase” involving paparazzi photographers, a spokesman for the prince said on Wednesday.
It came after the couple attended an awards ceremony in New York on Tuesday by the Ms. Foundation for Women, where Meghan was honored for her work.
“Last night the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Mrs Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a group of very aggressive paparazzi,” the spokesman said in a statement.
“This relentless pursuit, which lasted more than two hours, resulted in multiple near misses involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD (New York Police Department) police officers.”
Reckless driving, says a spokesperson
Harry and Meghan retired from their royal roles in 2020, settling briefly in British Columbia and eventually moving to the United States, in part due to what they described as intense media harassment.
The prince, who is currently embroiled in a series of legal battles with British tabloids, has long resisted the tactics of the paparazzi, given the 1997 car accident that killed his mother, Princess Diana, in Paris.
He is also trying to reverse a decision by the British government to remove his specialist police protection when he is in Britain.
Prince Harry and Meghan will arrive at an event in New York City in December 2022. (Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images)
The couple’s spokesman said the chase could have been fatal and paparazzi drove onto the sidewalk, ran red lights and took photos.
Photos posted on social media show Harry, Meghan and her mother sitting in the back of a New York taxi.
The spokesperson said this was “a small glimpse of the defenses and decoys needed to end the harassment”.
“While being a public figure brings with it a degree of public interest, it should never come at the expense of anyone’s safety,” the spokesman said. “Distribution of these images, given the way they were obtained, encourages a very intrusive practice that is dangerous for all involved.”
