Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland, escaped a “near catastrophic car chase” by the paparazzi on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson for the couple.
“This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers,” the spokesperson said. “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.”
The report brought to mind the horrific death of Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. She and boyfriend Dodi Fayed were killed in a car crash while being chased by paparazzi in Paris.
On Tuesday evening, Meghan, Harry and Ragland had just attended the gala for the Ms. Foundation for Women, where the Duchess of Sussex received a Woman of Vision Award.
They departed the midtown Manhattan event in an SUV at around 10 p.m., and the chaos immediately unfolded, the New York Post’s Page Six reported. About a dozen paparazzi gave chase, and one hit a car while another nearly flattened a New York police officer, an unnamed source told Page Six.
The New York Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Carly Ledbetter contributed reporting.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.