Are Harry and Meghan exaggerating about ‘near catastrophic car chase’?

The paparazzi can be dangerous. Those concerns came alive when Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, were involved in a “near catastrophic car chase” involving the paparazzi on Tuesday night, as the couple were returning home after an awards ceremony in New York.

The incident promptly evoked memories of the 1997 paparazzi chase and resulting car accident that killed Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana.

But as questions are being asked about the “two-hour car chase” and matters concerning Prince Harry’s security, the New York Police Department and others are now puncturing holes into the royal couple’s account.

So what exactly happened? Was it as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex say a “relentless pursuit” or was it “exaggerated”?

Harry and Meghan recount incident

The incident took place on Tuesday night in New York when Harry, Meghan and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland were leaving the Ziegfeld Ballroom after attending the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards. Meghan had been feted at the event for her life-long advocacy for women and girls.

Incidentally, this was Meghan’s first public appearance with Harry after missing the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla earlier this month.

Following the event, there was a flood of paparazzi wishing to click the images of the couple. Harry and Meghan in a press statement said that not wanting to lead the photographers to the private residence where they were staying, Harry and Meghan’s car led a drive through the streets of New York.

Their statement reads: “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 multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers.”

A source close to the couple also told news agency AFP that Meghan and Harry were pursued by half a dozen blacked out vehicles with “unidentified people driving recklessly and endangering the convoy and everyone around them.”

“The chase could have been fatal,” the source added, claiming a number of possible traffic violations – including driving on the sidewalk, running red lights and reversing down a one-way street – were committed.

The couple’s spokesperson said that “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 these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all involved,” said the spokesperson.

Chris Sanchez, who was part of Harry and Meghan’s security team at the time of the event, told CNN that the entire incident was “chaotic”. He said that no one was injured, but that the couple was shaken up when they arrived at their residence.

“I have never seen, experienced anything like this. What we were dealing with was very chaotic. There were about a dozen vehicles: cars, scooters and bicycles,” Sanchez told CNN, adding, “The public were in jeopardy at several points. It could have been fatal. They were jumping curbs and red lights. At one point they blocked the limousine (carrying the couple) and started taking pictures until we were able to get out.”

Not how he recollects it…

But if you ask the cab driver who ferried the couple from outside the 19th precinct, his version of events differs. Originally hailing from India, Sukhcharn Singh said he ferried the couple for a short distance during which there were photographers trying to snap images, but he never felt like he was in danger.

Speaking to Washington Post, Singh said, “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.” He added: “(Photographers) kept following us and were coming next to the car. They took pictures as we stopped and were filming us.”

Singh, 37, told the American newspaper that he got the impression from the group that they had been already pursued by paparazzi before entering his car. He added that Harry-Meghan tipped him $50 for the 10-minute drive.

NYPD speaks up

The NYPD did confirm that an incident took place involving Harry and Meghan along with numerous photographers. But their language describing the events was quite different from what the couple offered.

NYPD spokesman Julian Phillips was quoted as saying, “There were numerous photographers that made their transport challenging. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests...”

Even New York Mayor Eric Adams was sceptical of the royals’ version, saying he found it “hard to believe that there was a two-hour high-speed chase” through the Big Apple. However, he added that even “a 10-minute chase is extremely dangerous in New York City.”

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

Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace have not commented on the incident, with the former telling CNN that it would not speak on the issue.

With inputs from agencies

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