Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, were trailed in their car by photographers as they left a New York City charity event Tuesday night, briefly taking refuge at a police station before being whisked away in a yellow taxicab.
The pursuit and media frenzy evoked memories of the 1997 car chase through Paris that killed Harry鈥檚 mother, Princess Diana 鈥� though in this case, police said, no one was hurt.
The royal couple set off alarms when their spokesperson claimed Wednesday that they had been dangerously pursued by paparazzi in a 鈥渘ear catastrophic car chase鈥� through the streets of Manhattan. That account led New York City Mayor Eric Adams to condemn the paparazzi chasing them as 鈥渞eckless and irresponsible.鈥�
Later, though, police said the pursuit was relatively short and led to no injuries, collisions or arrests, and warranted no further investigation. Still, it drove home real security concerns surrounding the royal couple and the trauma brought on by the death of Harry鈥檚 mother when he was just 12 years old.
The cab driver who drove them from the police station said he instantly recognized his passengers and that paparazzi 鈥渨ere following us the whole time,鈥� though he said wouldn鈥檛 call it a chase.
鈥淭hey had this look on their faces,鈥� the driver, Sukhcharn Singh, said. 鈥淎ll of a sudden paparazzi came out and started taking pictures.鈥�
Police issued a short statement confirming an incident Tuesday night involving photographers and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who were accompanied by Meghan鈥檚 mother.
In video posted to social media, the couple is seen leaving Manhattan鈥檚 Ziegfeld Ballroom 鈥� where Meghan had just accepted the Ms. Foundation鈥檚 Woman of Vision Awards with Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown 鈥� and getting into an SUV as crowds of pedestrians and photographers gawked.
Harry and Meghan鈥檚 vehicle was then followed by photographers in a scene that their office said 鈥渞esulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers.鈥� The couple鈥檚 office called the incident 鈥渘ear catastrophic.鈥�
Police intervened and, assisting the couple鈥檚 private security detail, led them to a police station about 18 blocks from the ballroom, a law enforcement official told the AP.
The couple spent several minutes at the police station, waiting for the situation to de-escalate. Once it was safe, they left in a taxi, according to the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and did so on condition of anonymity.
鈥淲hile being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public, it should never come at the cost of anyone鈥檚 safety,鈥� the couple鈥檚 office said in a statement.
The award presentation was Meghan鈥檚 first public appearance since she skipped the coronation of her father-in-law King Charles III earlier this month in order to stay at home in California for her son Prince Archie鈥檚 fourth birthday. Harry attended the coronation.
The gala kicked off the Ms. Foundation鈥檚 largest fundraising campaign ever 鈥� $100 million over the next 12 months 鈥� that will be used to further the organization鈥檚 equity-centered initiatives and its mission of advancing women鈥檚 collective power.
With her mother, Doria Ragland, in the audience, Meghan recounted how Ms. Magazine was always in their house and how it affected her world view.
鈥淚t allowed me to recognize that part of my greater value and purpose in life was to advocate for those who felt unheard, to stand up to injustice, and to not be afraid of saying what is true and what is just and what is right,鈥� she said, looking over at Ms. Foundation co-founder Gloria Steinem.
In a statement, the Ms. Foundation said it was 鈥渁bsolutely horrified鈥� about what happened and that 鈥淓veryone, especially the media, must do better.鈥�
Harry, the younger son of King Charles III, and the former actress Meghan Markle married at Windsor Castle in 2018. They stepped down as working royals in 2020, citing what they described as the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media.
Harry鈥檚 fury at the media has been building for years. He blames an overly aggressive press for the death of his mother, and also accuses the media of hounding Meghan.
鈥淢y deepest fear is history repeating itself,鈥� Harry said in a 2019 statement when Meghan filed suit against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday.
Harry has made it his mission to reform the press and is currently suing three British tabloid publishers over alleged phone hacking and other unlawful snooping. Meghan won an invasion of privacy case in 2021 against the publisher of the Daily Mail.
Security for Harry and Meghan has been an issue since the British government stripped them of protection when they moved to California in 2020 and it figures in three of his legal cases against the government and tabloid press.
The pursuit in New York occurred the same day a lawyer for Harry argued in a London court that he should be able to challenge a government decision denying him the right to pay police for his own security in the U.K.
Harry has argued his safety was 鈥渃ompromised due to the absence of police protection鈥� during a short visit to the U.K. in July 2021, when his car was chased by photographers as he left a charity event.
The couple have said they funded their own security after former President Donald Trump said the U.S. government wouldn鈥檛 pay to protect them.
Singh, the cab driver, said it was one of the couple鈥檚 private security guards who flagged him down as he drove on 67th Street near the police station. Singh pulled the yellow taxi to the curb and in came Harry, Meghan and her mother.
The royals were about to give their destination when a garbage truck blocked their path, Singh said. Instead, one of them told him to circle back to the precinct.
A video posted by TMZ showed the couple in a yellow cab stuck in traffic several blocks away from the ballroom, as photographers recorded them through the windows. The cab was being escorted by NYPD vehicles with flashing lights.
鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 say much,鈥� Singh said. 鈥淭hey just asked my name and then after that Harry said thanks and have a good day.鈥�
They paid $17 in fare 鈥� and left a generous tip.
鈥淚t was pretty good man,鈥� Singh told the AP. 鈥淭hey gave me a $50.鈥�
鈥淚 mean, when I鈥檓 going around the block that鈥檚 more than enough.鈥�
鈥擬ichael R. Sisak, Bobby Caina Calvan And Danica Kirka, The Associated Press
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