Harry and Meghan – latest: Photo agency mocks royal couple and refuses to hand over pictures of chase
A photo agency that took pictures of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle in a car chase has mocked the royal couple, refusing to hand over the material.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who called the alleged car chase by paparazzi in New York City on Tuesday night “near catastrophic”, demanded Backgrid, a California-based agency, hand over the pictures and videos taken during the encounter.
However, the agency’s lawyers snubbed the royal couple, saying they cannot just make demands in America “as Kings can do”.
“In America, as I’m sure you know, property belongs to the owner of it: Third parties cannot just demand it be given to them, as perhaps Kings can do,” Backgrid’s legal team responded.
“Perhaps you should sit down with your client and advise them that his English rules of royal prerogative to demand that the citizenry hand over their property to the Crown were rejected by this country long ago. We stand by our founding fathers,” it added.
Meanwhile, paparazzi involved in the chase blamed the incident on the couple’s “reckless” driver.
Key Points
Photo agency mocks Harry and Meghan, refusing to hand over pictures
Harry and Meghan in ‘near catastrophic car chase’ involving paparazzi
New York Police Department (NYPD) full statement
Royal fans claim paparazzi ‘learned nothing from Diana’ after Meghan and Harry involved in car chase
Opinion: Harry and Meghan’s car chase has shocking echoes of Diana
Harry and Meghan’s full statement
NYC Mayor Eric Adams backs Harry and Meghan over ‘reckless’ car chase
Photo agency mocks Harry and Meghan, refusing to hand over pictures
04:17 , Shweta Sharma
A photo agency that took pictures of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle in a car chase has mocked the royal couple, refusing to hand over the material.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who called the alleged car chase by paparazzi in New York City on Tuesday night “near catastrophic”, demanded Backgrid, a California-based agency, hand over the pictures and videos taken during the encounter.
“We hereby demand that Backgrid [photo agency] immediately provide us with copies of all photos, videos, and/or films taken last night by the freelance photographers after the couple left their event and over the next several hours,” a letter from their lawyers said.
However, the agency’s lawyers snubbed the royal couple, saying they cannot just make demands in America “as Kings can do”.
“In America, as I’m sure you know, property belongs to the owner of it: Third parties cannot just demand it be given to them, as perhaps Kings can do,” Backgrid’s legal team responded.
“Perhaps you should sit down with your client and advise them that his English rules of royal prerogative to demand that the citizenry hand over their property to the Crown were rejected by this country long ago. We stand by our founding fathers,” it added.
ICYMI: ‘Stalker’ arrested outside Harry and Meghan’s Montecito home
11:35 , Martha Mchardy
A man suspected of stalking Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was arrested outside the couple’s home in Santa Barbara County, California, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Kevin Garcia Valdovinos, 29, was allegedly seen “lurking” outside the mansion in Montecito at around 2am, according to TMZ, and was booked on misdemeanor stalking charges after police attended the scene.
It is not known whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, or their children Prince Archie, four, or Princess Lilibet, one, were at home at the time of the incident.
Joe Sommerlad reports:
‘Stalker’ arrested outside Harry and Meghan’s Montecito home
A timeline of Harry and Meghan’s ‘two-hour car chase’ in New York
10:51 , Martha Mchardy
Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Raglandwere trailed in their car by paparazzi for over two hours after they left a New York City charity event on Tuesday night.
A spokesperson for the royals claimed that they had been pursued by paparazzi in a “near catastrophic car chase“ through the streets of Manhattan.
Here is the timeline of the events.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports:
Timeline of Harry and Meghan’s ‘two-hour car chase’ in New York
Harry and Meghan’s car chase has shocking echoes of Diana
09:47 , Martha Mchardy
A relentless pursuit. Two hours. The son and his wife in the car. It is a succession of coincidences and details that will make the blood of every right thinking person boil, writes Samuel Fishwick.
Opinion: Harry and Meghan’s car chase has shocking echoes of Diana
Paparazzi ‘refuse to hand over’ shots of Harry and Meghan taken during car chase
09:09 , Martha Mchardy
A photo agency involved in an alleged New York City car chase with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has reportedly refused to hand over images of the couple.
Backgrid rejected a demand by the Sussexes to hand over photographs taken during what the pair described as a “near catastrophic” pursuit on Tuesday night, saying Americans “long ago rejected royal prerogative”, the BBC said.
The letter, which the celebrity picture agency said it got from the pair’s legal team on Thursday, reportedly said: “We hereby demand that Backgrid immediately provide us with copies of all photos, videos, and/or films taken last night by the freelance photographers after the couple left their event and over the next several hours.”
In a statement on Wednesday, a spokesman for Harry and Meghan said the pair and Meghan’s mother “were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi”.
He added: “This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers.”
The duke and duchess had been at the Ms Foundation For Women’s 50th anniversary gala event.
It was Harry and Meghan’s first public appearance together since the duchess missed the King’s coronation on May 6.
Paparazzi deny there were any near-crashes, while the NYPD said “numerous photographers” made the couple’s journey “challenging” but there were “no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests”.
During an interview with the BBC at the G7 summit in Japan, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appeared to dismiss the incident, saying: “Cars in New York are not really my priority or my responsibility.
“What is my priority and responsibility is people’s safety at home.”
Voices: The real ‘near-catastrophic’ car crash is Meghan and Harry’s PR campaign
08:42 , Martha Mchardy
More information may emerge in the coming days, but so far the Duke and Duchess have laid themselves open to criticism from the haters, of which there is no shortage, writes Sean O’Grady.
The real ‘near-catastrophic’ crash is Meghan and Harry’s PR campaign | Sean O’Grady
Harry and Meghan's run-in with paparazzi is another episode in their battle with the media
08:00 , Shweta Sharma
The latest chapter in the drama surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan’s treatment by the tabloid media was much ado about something.
But exactly what happened Tuesday night in New York when the royals left a gala event and were followed by a group of photographers was not completely clear. What was evident is that the pursuit would likely only fuel Harry’s fury with the media as well as his greatest fear that his wife could meet the same fate as his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a car crash while being chased by paparazzi.
The couple’s representatives claimed they had been pursued by paparazzi in a “near catastrophic car chase” through the streets of Manhattan. Police said the pursuit was relatively short, led to no injuries, collisions or arrests and warranted no further investigation. And a photo agency later contended it was Harry and Meghan’s security guards who acted recklessly.
Harry and Meghan's run-in with paparazzi is another episode in their battle with the media
Prince Harry’s current security ‘unaware of dilemmas’, says former bodyguard
07:30 , Shweta Sharma
The Duke of Sussex’s former bodyguard has said his current security team lack experience, following a “near catastrophic car chase” in New York.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were followed by paparazzi after attending an awards ceremony with the duchess’s mother, Doria Ragland, on Tuesday, the couple’s spokesman said.
Ken Wharfe, who used to take Harry to school when he was three years old, said his current security were “unaware of what the dilemmas seem to be”.
The former bodyguard told the PA news agency: “There seems to be a lack of chemistry between them and Harry and Meghan.
“The departure from the hotel was chaotic before they began their whacky drive through New York.
“Harry needs to be part of the planning. He knows the dangers better than anyone.
“You (need) a relationship with the people you are protecting. Until that happens things like this will happen again.”
It is said those involved in the incident were confronted by uniformed police several times but continued the pursuit.
It is also said there is security footage and other evidence to support the allegations.
Mr Wharfe added: “There seemed to be no planning happening on that night.
Omid Scobie criticises King Charles and Prince William for ‘failing to contact Prince Harry’ after car chase
07:00 , Emily Atkinson
Journalist Omid Scobie has singled out King Charles III and the Prince of Wales after it appeared that “not one member” of the royal family reached out to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex following their “near-catastrophic” car chase.
It comes after the couple claimed they were pursued “relentlessly” by paparazzi through New York City on Wednesday (17 May).
Scobie, who has authored biographies about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, told BBC Newsnight that the response from the royal family to the incident has been “disappointing” for the couple.
Kate Ng reports:
Omid Scobie criticises Charles and William for ‘not contacting Harry’ after car chase
What really happened in Harry and Meghan’s paparazzi car chase?
06:39 , Shweta Sharma
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan claim they narrowly avoided a “catastrophic” collision while being pursued by paparazzi after leaving a charity event in New York.
The royal couple said were followed by photographers in half a dozen vehicles with blacked-out windows, on scooters and bikes after exiting the Women of Vision Awards at Manhattan’s Ziegfeld Ballroom on 16 May, their official spokesman said the following day.
But in the hours after the spokesman’s statement, several differing accounts emerged which suggested the incident might not have been as dramatic as initially portrayed.
What really happened in Harry and Meghan’s paparazzi car chase?
News sites take down paparazzi photos of Harry and Meghan after ‘catastrophic’ chase
06:11 , Shweta Sharma
Photos of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle taken on the night they were chased by paparazzi in New York City briefly appeared on British tabloid websites before they were taken down amid reports that the pursuit led to “near collisions.”
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said that a relentless chase unfolded after the couple and Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland attended the Ms Foundation for Women award ceremony in Midtown.
The spokesperson said the pursuit was “near catastrophic” and involved “other drivers ... pedestrians and two NYPD officers.”
News sites take down paparazzi photos of Harry and Meghan after ‘catastrophic’ chase
Watch: Paparazzi driver says Harry and Meghan car chase caused by couple’s driver
05:30 , Emily Atkinson
Sunak says ‘not aware’ of Harry and Meghan chase
04:59 , Shweta Sharma
Rishi Sunak, who is in Hiroshima for the G7 meeting, said he was “not aware of a particular incident in question” but said he is more focused on road safety in the UK and in New York City,
The British prime minister said “cars in New York are not really my priority” after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s team said they avoided a “near catastrophic car chase” in the US city.
Pressed if he has sympathy with a possible invasion of privacy or safety, Mr Sunak said: “I think just as all of us do, we want to make sure that we go about our day-to-day lives in safety and security.
“My job as prime minister is to ensure everyone feels safe in our country. That’s why we put 20,000 more police officers on the street. It’s why we’re giving them the powers to tackle things like knife crime.”
But told the incident under discussion happened in the US, Mr Sunak said: “Cars in New York are not really my priority or my responsibility.
“What is my priority and responsibility is people’s safety at home.”
Cab driver says Harry and Meghan’s account is ‘exaggerated’
04:42 , Shweta Sharma
The taxi driver, Sukhcharan Singh, who drove Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle for about 10 minutes during the chase, said they were “pretty nervous” but described claims that it was “a near catastrophic car chase” as exaggerated.
“I was on 67th Street and then the security guard hailed me. Next thing you know, Prince Harry and his wife were hopping into my cab,” Mr Singh told BBC.
“We got blocked by a garbage truck, and all of a sudden paparazzi came and started taking pictures,” he added.
He told Sky News that they were nice people and looked nervous. “I think they were being chased the whole day or something. They were pretty nervous,” he said.
When asked if the situation was dangerous, he said: “I don’t think that’s true, it’s exaggerated. Don’t read too much into that.”
Royal fans claim paparazzi ‘learned nothing from Diana’ after Meghan and Harry involved in car chase
04:00 , Emily Atkinson
Royal fans have expressed their concerns that paparazzi photographers “learned nothing from Diana” after Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland were reportedly “involved in a near catastrophic car chase” with paparazzi.
“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,” a spokesperson for the couple said in a statement, adding that the “relentless pursuit” lasted “over two hours” and “resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers”.
The incident is said to have occurred on Tuesday after the couple and Ms Ragland attended an awards ceremony in New York City, with the Sussexes reportedly on their way back to the “private residence” where they were staying when they encountered the paparazzi.
Chelsea Ritschel has more:
Royal fans claim paparazzi have ‘learned nothing from Diana’
Harry and Meghan ‘not contacted by royal family’ after car chase in New York
02:30 , Emily Atkinson
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not been contacted by the royal family after claiming to have been involved in a “near-catastrophic” car chase.
Harry and Meghan were followed by paparazzi after attending an awards ceremony with the duchess’s mother Doria Ragland in New York on Tuesday, the couple’s spokesperson said.
Despite claims the three of them were subjected to a “relentless pursuit” involving half a dozen blacked-out vehicles, the PA news agency reports no members of the royal family had reached out to the couple as of 10pm on Wednesday.
More on this story here:
Harry and Meghan ‘not contacted by royal family’ after car chase in New York
Watch: New York mayor condemns 'reckless' paparazzi over Harry and Meghan 'car chase'
01:00 , Emily Atkinson
ICYMI: Prince Harry’s security ‘should have been properly stage managed’, says Diana’s former bodyguard
Thursday 18 May 2023 23:30 , Emily Atkinson
Princess Diana’s former bodyguard speaks out about Harry and Meghan’s ‘car chase’
No near-collisions or near-crashes, say photographers
Thursday 18 May 2023 22:00 , Emily Atkinson
There were no near-collisions or near-crashes during the alleged car chase involving Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, photographers told celebrity news agency Backgrid USA.
Backgrid USA said it had received photos and videos from four freelance photographers, three who had been in cars and one who was riding a bicycle.
A statement from Backgrid USA said: “They had no intention of causing any distress or harm, as their only tool was their cameras. A few of the photos even show Meghan Markle smiling inside a cab.
“The photographers report that one of the four SUVs from Prince Harry‘s security escort was driving in a manner that could be perceived as reckless.
“The vehicle was seen blocking off streets, and in one video, it is shown being pulled over by the police.”
Voices: Heckled and harried hours before, Harry and Meghan’s car chase has shocking echoes of Diana
Thursday 18 May 2023 20:30 , Emily Atkinson
Again and again, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, has fought to defang a rampaging media that he believes is insatiable. Again and again he has been mocked, derided and ignored, writes Samuel Fishwick.
Today, if his spokesperson is to be believed, the prince and his wife the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, were involved in an incident with shocking echoes of the tragic car accident that killed his mother Diana in 1997.
Opinion: Harry and Meghan’s car chase has shocking echoes of Diana
Who is Meghan Markle’s mother? Everything to know about Doria Ragland
Thursday 18 May 2023 19:30 , Emily Atkinson
Over the years, Meghan Markle has been very vocal about her close relationship with her mother, Doria Ragland.
On Tuesday, 16 May, the pair were accompanied by Prince Harry as they made their way to Manhattan to attend a charity awards ceremony by the Ms. Foundation for Women, where Meghan was honoured for her work. The royal couple have now claimed that when they left the event, they were followed by the paparazzi for more than two hours.
“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,” a spokesperson for the couple said in a statement released on 17 May.
Amber Raiken has more:
What to know about Doria Ragland amid paparazzi car chase?
Prince Harry’s ex-bodyguard says current security ‘unaware of dilemmas’
Thursday 18 May 2023 18:30 , Emily Atkinson
The Duke of Sussex’s former bodyguard has said his current security team lack experience, following a “near catastrophic car chase” in New York.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were followed by paparazzi after attending an awards ceremony with the duchess’s mother, Doria Ragland, on Tuesday, the couple’s spokesman said.
There are claims they were subjected to a “relentless pursuit” involving six blacked-out vehicles driving recklessly and endangering the convoy and everyone around them.
Ken Wharfe, who used to take Harry to school when he was three years old, said his current security were “unaware of what the dilemmas seem to be”.
The former bodyguard told the PA news agency: “There seems to be a lack of chemistry between them and Harry and Meghan.
“The departure from the hotel was chaotic before they began their whacky drive through New York.
“Harry needs to be part of the planning. He knows the dangers better than anyone.
“You (need) a relationship with the people you are protecting. Until that happens things like this will happen again.”
It is said those involved in the incident were confronted by uniformed police several times but continued the pursuit.
It is also said there is security footage and other evidence to support the allegations.
Mr Wharfe added: “There seemed to be no planning happening on that night.
Harry and Meghan paparazzi claim royals ‘not in danger’ during ‘chase’
Thursday 18 May 2023 17:29 , Emily Atkinson
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were “not in immediate danger at any point” during an alleged two-hour paparazzi car chase that they believed could have been fatal, it has been claimed.
Harry claimed that he and Meghan were subjected to a “near catastrophic” pursuit by photographers after leaving the Ms. Foundation gala in New York with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, on Tuesday night.
But Backgrid USA Inc, the agency that hired four freelance photographers to cover the event, instead insisted that one of the four SUVs escorting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in New York was “driving in a manner that could be perceived as reckless”.
Oliver Pritchard-Jones reports:
Harry and Meghan paparazzi insist royals ‘not in danger’ during ‘chase’
A timeline of Harry and Meghan’s ‘two-hour car chase’ in New York
Thursday 18 May 2023 16:34 , Emily Atkinson
Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Raglandwere trailed in their car by paparazzi for over two hours after they left a New York City charity event on Tuesday night.
A spokesperson for the royals claimed that they had been pursued by paparazzi in a “near catastrophic car chase“ through the streets of Manhattan.
“This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD (New York Police Department) officers,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Here is Alisha Rahaman Sarkar with a timeline of the events:
Timeline of Harry and Meghan’s ‘two-hour car chase’ in New York
Prince Harry’s current security ‘unaware of dilemmas’, says former bodyguard
Thursday 18 May 2023 15:30 , Martha Mchardy
The Duke of Sussex’s former bodyguard has said his current security team lack experience, following a “near catastrophic car chase” in New York.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were followed by paparazzi after attending an awards ceremony with the duchess’s mother, Doria Ragland, on Tuesday, the couple’s spokesman said.
There are claims they were subjected to a “relentless pursuit” involving six blacked-out vehicles driving recklessly and endangering the convoy and everyone around them.
Ken Wharfe, who used to take Harry to school when he was three years old, said his current security were “unaware of what the dilemmas seem to be”.
The former bodyguard told the PA news agency: “There seems to be a lack of chemistry between them and Harry and Meghan.
“The departure from the hotel was chaotic before they began their whacky drive through New York.
“Harry needs to be part of the planning. He knows the dangers better than anyone.
“You (need) a relationship with the people you are protecting. Until that happens things like this will happen again.”
It is said those involved in the incident were confronted by uniformed police several times but continued the pursuit.
It is also said there is security footage and other evidence to support the allegations.
Mr Wharfe added: “There seemed to be no planning happening on that night.
Paparazzi blame car chase on couple’s ‘reckless’ driver
Thursday 18 May 2023 15:20 , Martha Mchardy
Paparazzi involved in an alleged car chase involving Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle in New York City on Tuesday evening have blamed the incident on the couple’s “reckless” driver.
Backgrid USA Inc assigned four photographers to the Ms. Foundation gala on Tuesday night, where the Duchess of Sussex received a “Women of Vision” award.
The company said: “One of the four SUVs from Prince Harry’s security escort was driving in a manner that could be perceived as reckless.
“The vehicle was seen blocking off streets, and in one video, it is shown being pulled over by the police.”
Three photographers hired by the agency followed the couple in cars after they left the gala, while one pedalled after them on his bicycle.
“According to the photographers present, there were no near-collisions or near-crashes,” the agency continued. The photographers have reported feeling that the couple was not in immediate danger at any point.”
The company said it is conducting a “thorough investigation into the matter.”
The statement continued: “At Backgrid USA Inc., we do not condone any form of harassment or illegal activity. We are taking Prince Harry’s allegations seriously.”
A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said on Wednesday: “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.”
Watch: Paparazzi driver says Harry and Meghan car chase caused by couple’s driver
Thursday 18 May 2023 14:30 , Martha Mchardy
Royal fans claim paparazzi ‘learned nothing from Diana’ after Meghan and Harry involved in car chase
Thursday 18 May 2023 14:00 , Martha Mchardy
Royal fans have expressed their concerns that paparazzi photographers “learned nothing from Diana” after Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland were reportedly “involved in a near catastrophic car chase” with paparazzi.
On social media, the news of the incident has been met with horror, with many suggesting the paparazzi’s alleged pursuit of Harry, Meghan and the duchess’s mother resembled the circumstances surrounding Diana’s tragic death.
Chelsea Ritschel reports:
Royal fans claim paparazzi have ‘learned nothing from Diana’
Watch: Harry and Meghan arrive at New York event before 'near-catastrophic' car chase
Thursday 18 May 2023 13:30 , Martha Mchardy
ICYMI: Prince Harry’s comments about ‘history repeating itself’ resurface after car chase
Thursday 18 May 2023 13:00 , Martha Mchardy
In the five-episode docuseries The Me You Can’t See, which was released on Apple TV+ in May 2021, Prince Harry compared his mother being “chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone that wasn’t white” to his relationship with Meghan Markle.
While speaking to Oprah Winfrey, the duke explained that one of the main reasons he and Meghan decided to leave the UK was the constant harassment by the media, which frequently published stories about the duchess, who is half Black, with racially charged undertones.
“Do I have any regrets? Yeah, my biggest regret is not making more of a stance earlier on in my relationship with my wife and calling out the racism when I did,” he said.
Harry then compared his relationship with Meghan to that of his mother’s with Dodi Al Fayed, revealing that he felt “history was repeating itself” as his mother was also targeted by the paparazzi for dating someone that “wasn’t white”.
“History was repeating itself. My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone that wasn’t white. And now look at what’s happened. You wanna talk about history repeating itself, they’re not gonna stop until she dies,” he said.
“It’s incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life,” Harry continued. “The list is growing. And it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry. Because my father used to say to me when I was younger, he used to say to both William and I: ‘Well it was like that for me so it’s gonna be like that for you.’”
The duke – who shares four-year-old son Prince Archie and one-year-old daughter Lilibet Diana with Meghan – went on to say how his father’s mindset “doesn’t make sense” to him.
“Just because you suffered, that doesn’t mean that your kids have to suffer,” Harry said. “In fact quite the opposite, if you’ve suffered, do whatever you can to make sure that whatever experiences, negative experiences you had, that you can make it right for your kids.”
Despite his wife’s mental health struggles – Meghan has previously admitted to experiencing suicidal thoughts during her time in the royal family – Harry also said that his family initially denied their requests to step away from their roles as working royals, noting that “there was no option to leave”.
He said: “Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told you can’t do this. And it’s like: ‘Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?’
“She was going to end her life. It shouldn’t have to get to that.”
Duke of Sussex’s comments about parallels between his mother’s death and his wife resurface following car chase
Thursday 18 May 2023 12:30 , Martha Mchardy
During an ITV interview with Tom Bradby last January, Prince Harry narrated an excerpt from his book that recounted the night his father, King Charles III, told him his mother had died. “You know, my father coming in, in his dressing gown and sharing that news with me, only now as part of writing the book, that I really think about how many hours he’d been awake,” the duke said, adding he had “compassion” for Charles having to “break this to my two sons”.
Harry added that was part of the reason “why we are here now”.
“I never want to be in that position. I don’t want history to repeat itself. I do not want to be a single dad. And I certainly don’t want my children to have a life without a mother or a father.”
Duke of Sussex’s comments about Diana crash resurface after ‘near-miss’
Thursday 18 May 2023 11:54 , Martha Mchardy
Prince Harry’s fears of “history repeating itself” have resurfaced after the Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan Markle were involved in a “near catastrophic” car chase in New York City.
The Duke of Sussex has long spoken out against aggressive press intrusion, which he blames for the death of his mother, Princess Diana, who was killed in a high-speed chase in 1997 after trying to flee paparazzi through a tunnel in Paris.
Prince Harry first compared the media’s treatment of his mother to his wife Meghan during the couple’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. “My biggest fear was history repeating itself,” he said during the interview.
“I’m just really relieved and happy to be sitting here talking to you with my wife by my side because I can’t begin to imagine what it must have been like for her [Diana] going through this process by herself all those years ago.”
During an ITV interview with Tom Bradby last January, Prince Harry said: “I do not want to be a single dad. And I certainly don’t want my children to have a life without a mother or a father.”
In the five-episode docuseries The Me You Can’t See, which was released on Apple TV+ in May 2021, Prince Harry compared his mother being “chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone that wasn’t white” to his relationship with Meghan Markle.
“It’s incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life,” Prince Harry said. “The list is growing. And it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry. Because my father used to say to me when I was younger, he used to say to both William and I: ‘Well it was like that for me so it’s gonna be like that for you.’”
Meredith Clark reports:
Prince Harry’s fears about ‘history repeating itself’ resurface amid car chase
What happened to Harry and Meghan? A timeline of Sussexes’ ‘two-hour car chase’ in New York
Thursday 18 May 2023 11:00 , Martha Mchardy
Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland were trailed in their car by paparazzi for over two hours after they left a New York City charity event on Tuesday night.
Here is the timeline of the events.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports:
Timeline of Harry and Meghan’s ‘two-hour car chase’ in New York
Prince Harry’s security ‘should have been properly stage managed’, says Diana’s former bodyguard
Thursday 18 May 2023 10:30 , Martha Mchardy
The Duke of Sussex’s security should have been “properly stage-managed”, a former royal bodyguard has said, after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were involved in a “near-catastrophic” car chase involving paparazzi.
Ellie Muir reports:
Princess Diana’s former bodyguard speaks out about Harry and Meghan’s ‘car chase’
Omid Scobie attacks royal family as palace silent on car ‘chase’
Thursday 18 May 2023 10:14 , Martha Mchardy
Journalist Omid Scobie has attacked the Royal Family for failing to contact Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle after they were involved in a car chase in New York City.
The Sussex’s were involved in a “near catastrophic car chase” in New York on Tuesday evening involving “highly aggressive” paparazzi that lasted over two hours.
Scobie, who has authored biographies about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, told BBC Newsnight that the response from the royal family to the incident has been “disappointing” for the couple.
He claimed neither King Charles or Prince Harry had contacted Prince Harry following the incident.
“It’s impossible not to think of Princess Diana when we hear about car accidents and this kind of aggressive paparazzi chase,” he told TV host Victoria Derbyshire during the programme.
“So I was really surprised to hear… that not one member of the royal family, including King Charles and Prince William – who obviously [were] heavily affected by Princess Diana’s death – has reached out to Prince Harry, hours after the news had broken.”
Buckingham Palace told The Independent that it would not be commenting on the incident.
Kate Ng reports:
Omid Scobie criticises Charles and William for ‘not contacting Harry’ after car chase
Watch: New York mayor condemns 'reckless' paparazzi over Harry and Meghan 'car chase'
Thursday 18 May 2023 10:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Watch: Meghan and Harry's taxi driver speaks out after 'chase'
Thursday 18 May 2023 09:50 , Martha Mchardy
News sites take down paparazzi photos of Harry and Meghan after ‘catastrophic’ chase
Thursday 18 May 2023 09:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Photos of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle taken on the night they were chased by paparazzi in New York City briefly appeared on British tabloid websites before they were taken down amid reports that the pursuit led to “near collisions.”
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said that a relentless chase unfolded after the couple and Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland attended the Ms Foundation for Women award ceremony in Midtown.
The spokesperson said the pursuit was “near catastrophic” and involved “other drivers ... pedestrians and two NYPD officers.”
The NYPD told The Independent in a statement on Wednesday that the department assisted in the couple’s “challenging” transport, but no collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests were reported.
Watch: Harry and Meghan involved in 'near catastrophic' car chase involving paparazzi
Thursday 18 May 2023 09:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Harry and Meghan car chase was ‘very tense’, paparazzi driver claims
Thursday 18 May 2023 08:51 , Martha Mchardy
A paparazzi driver reportedly involved in the allegedly high speed New York car chase of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has said that it was “very tense” trying to keep up with their vehicle.
Speaking anonymously to ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Thursday, the driver said: “Last night after leaving the theatre, there were hopes from me and a few other photographers that maybe they would go to a restaurant.
“For the most part, I was driving and it was very tense trying to keep up with the vehicles. They did a lot of blocking and there was a lot of different type of manoeuvres to stop what was happening.”
He claimed that Harry and Meghan’s driver made the pursuit “a catastrophic experience”.
“Their driver was making it a catastrophic experience... if they were going 80mph, I would probably have been going 20mph behind them and hoping to keep sight of them,” he said.
“So if it was dangerous and catastrophic, it was more than likely based on the person that was driving.”
