Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were involved in a "near catastrophic" car chase on Tuesday night while leaving an event in New York City. The couple's spokesperson confirmed that the chase lasted for two hours and resulted in multiple near collisions with drivers on the road, pedestrians, and two New York Police Department officers. Although there were no reports of collisions, injuries, or arrests, the couple's NYPD protective team had to use evasive measures to get away from paparazzi who were chasing them on scooters, bikes, motorcycles, and cars.
The incident occurred while the couple was attending the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards, where Meghan was receiving an award. This was their first public outing since attending King Charles' coronation earlier this month. Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, was traveling with the couple during the incident.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams commented on the incident, calling it "reckless and irresponsible" for people to chase vehicles in the densely populated city. The incident comes nearly 26 years after Prince Harry's mother, Princess Diana, died in a car crash in Paris after a group of photographers chased after her limousine.
Although the unnamed law enforcement source told CNN that there was no car accident, the incident has raised concerns about the safety of public figures and the role of paparazzi in their lives. Prince Harry has repeatedly stated that his mother was killed because the paparazzi chased her, and this incident highlights the ongoing issue of press intrusion.
Overall, the incident involving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's car chase has raised concerns about the safety of public figures and the role of paparazzi in their lives. While there were no reported injuries or arrests, the incident has sparked a conversation about the need for privacy and protection for public figures.