Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘not contacted’ by royal family after New York car chase with paparazzi

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex claim they were involved in a two hour car chase with paparazzi after attending an award ceremony in New York this week. The incident, which also involved Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, was described as “near catastrophic” and a “relentless pursuit” by a spokesperson for Prince Harry.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, May 16 and it is understood that, as of 10pm on Wednesday, Harry and Meghan had not been contacted by any member of the royal family. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the incident.

Security for Harry and Meghan claimed that they were being pursued by cars, mopeds and electric bikes that at times mounted the pavement to keep up with the couple’s vehicle. The New York Police Department (NYPD) said the couple had been driven around 57th Street, FDR Drive and nearby roads for about an hour and 15 minutes as they were followed by paparazzi before they were then dropped off at the NYPD’s 19th precinct, where they were picked up by a taxi driver

The spokesperson for Prince Harry said: “This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD  officers. “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.”

A spokesperson for the NYPD said: “On Wednesday evening, May 16, the NYPD assisted the private security team protecting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.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 in regard.’’