Of course there were people trying to claim that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s “near catastrophic” run-in with a swarm of “paparazzi” on May 16th was some kind of set-up or exaggeration. It was not. The Sussexes’ spokesperson called it a “relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers.” The NYPD backed up Harry and Meghan’s version of events, with the NYPD spokesperson releasing this statement on Wednesday:
On Tuesday 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.
By my understanding, Harry and Meghan’s private security was with them and their private security had informed the NYPD that they needed help, especially as they exited the awards ceremony at the Ziegfeld Theater. There were at least two NYPD officers as part of the security convoy, and there was also at least one stop at a police precinct (the 19th) in an attempt to cool down the pursuit which involved paparazzi in cars, scooters and motorbikes. Law enforcement sources told Deadline: “Harry and Meghan’s private security and a trope of NYPD officers attempted evasive maneuvers, and things could have gotten messy, but didn’t.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was asked about the incident in a press conference on Wednesday and he said:
“I think all of us – I don’t think there’s many of us who don’t recall how [Harry’s] mom died, and it would be horrific to lose innocent bystanders during a chase like this and something to have happened to them as well. So I think we have to be extremely responsible. I thought that was a bit reckless and irresponsible.”
However, the Mayor was openly skeptical about the claims of Harry and Meghan’s team about the duration of the chase. “I would find it hard to believe that there was a two-hour high speed chase,” he noted. We have a lot of traffic, a lot of movement, a lot of people are using our streets,” he added, stating that even a chase as long as just 10-minutes would be “extremely dangerous” in Manhattan.
Except it was a two-hour ordeal, just not entirely in the streets. There was a cooldown period where Harry, Meghan and Doria stayed in the 19th precinct (under advice from the police in their security convoy) and an entire street was blocked off so that the Sussex party could be able to exit the precinct safely. Still, I appreciate that Mayor Adams made a reference to Princess Diana.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images and Backgrid.
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland depart The Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Pictured: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 16 MAY 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle depart The Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 16 MAY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BeautifulSignatureIG / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle depart The Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 16 MAY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BeautifulSignatureIG / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland depart The Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 16 MAY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Fernando Ramales / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during an Israeli flag-raising ceremony at Bowling Green Park as Israel celebrates its 75th Independence Day ‘Yom Haatzmaut’ on April 26, 2023 in New York City. Yom Haatzmaut aka Israel Independence Day, celebrates the establishment of the State of Israel by Jewish leadership headed by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion on May 14, 1948, however it is celebrated on the day according to the Jewish Calendar. Featuring: New York City Mayor Eric Adams Where: New York, New York, United States When: 26 Apr 2023 Credit: TheNews2/Cover Images
I’m hoping Harry’s footage shows the extent to which they were being stalked and endangered, or it will reflect badly on their spokesperson at the very least. But it seems as though drivers—perhaps the Sussexes’ driver too—were driving in manners that were dangerous to passersby. That is why “there ought a be a law…”
I have seen no evidence that suggests that the Sussexes SUVs were not driving safely. Can you point me to that?
The footage could show exactly what their statement said, which was that they were relentlessly pursued, and they will still be denigrated and mocked by bad faith actors in the press. So if anything reflects badly on their spokesperson, I’m pretty sure that’s due to a coordinated effort being made by the BM to mislead. Harry and Meghan never said high speed chase in their statement and why would anyone believe the paparazzi who are the ones saying the Sussexes driver drove poorly. Really, thats who people are listening to? It’s pretty clear what’s happening here.
No they weren’t. Their security was doing their level best not to endanger civilians. It was the paps driving recklessly. Going through red light, blocking and cutting cars off, jumping onto sidewalks, reversing down one way streets and straight up ignoring police officers warnings.
The fact that they were on the highway tells me their driver was trying to be as safe as possible. It’s the only place in the city where that kind of evasive driving isn’t going to guarantee harm. Keep in mind, the driver wouldn’t have had anywhere to hide or turn or anything like that. To keep others safe, he had to expose the Sussexes.
The only “source” that said the Sussex’s driver was being reckless was the paparazzi statement. It’s always telling which sources are immediately believed and which are ridiculed.
I am hoping that Mayor Adams gets another opportunity to make a more accurate statement about what happened.
Yes, and I really hope he and the NYPD get to the bottom of what happened. This is such a disgrace that this happened in New York, risking a lot of lives.
I remember in the Netflix documentary when they were in the car being followed by paps on the motorcycle and how TERRIFIED Meghan was…I mean the fear DEFINITELY translated so I can only IMAGINE the HORROR they went through trying to duck & dive folks who were TRYING to see where they were staying so they could take away their safe space for nefarious reasons…I’m glad the Mayor framed this in the CORRECT LIGHT!
The mayor answered that question from the reporter who used the word “chase” and that why he said it was hard to believe. He responded before he was fully briefed. So, of course the British media will edit to that ONE sentence and cut out the rest of the statement to pretend like the mayor thought the Sussex’s were lying.
They did the same thing with the cab driver, who only drove the Sussexes for 10 minutes AFTER they had left the police precinct and ended up having to turn back around because security told him so because the paps started up again. So, of course from his point of view, it wasn’t that bad. It was around the police precinct so the paps were on their best behavior at that point. Again, they are going to take his 10 minute experience and use that as “proof” that the Sussexes were exaggerating.
The British press are also choosing to not report the fact that the paps were driving recklessly in blacked out vehicles and covered license plates and putting NYC pedestrians and other civilians driving around in danger. For goodness sakes, just recently Countess Sophie’s security ran over an 80 year old woman and put her in a coma, and the was just a regular security escort.
And considering how Diana died, Harry has every right to be understandably triggered by this incident. How dare they question how he feels.
I actually listened to what the mayor said because I had only read articles at first, and he put stress on “high speed” when asked. Clearly he was saying he doubted that it was a two hour high speed chase because it wasn’t, and they never said it was. Also it’s amusing how NO ONE in the BM seems to be focusing on those deleted articles from the Mail and Express other than the BBC trying to make it sound like Omid was lying. That entire enterprise is trash. I hope (with evidence of course) Harry just names every name under the sun in three weeks. Your father and brother are terrible people, they do not care about you. Show them and their families the same concern they showed you.
This. He was very specific saying it was likely not a 2 hour high speed chase, which it was not.
It doesn’t mean the situation wasn’t very scary or dangerous. My heart breaks for Harry especially – the trauma he must have been reliving 🙁
Except the Sussexes never said anything about a “high speed chase”. I read that the mayor was at a press conference for some other issue when he was asked about what happened to the Sussexes. So I guess he said some comments without really knowing the facts. Of course the derangers are saying this was ” proof” nothing happened. Its shameful that there is always some ridiculous litmus test that the Sussexes have to go through whenever they claim mistreatment. While their enemies just get to mumble a few words and are immediately believed.
I commented the same below before I saw your post.
It has also been reported that there is cctv footage of the chase that the NYpD is using in an investigation of this ordeal. I hope those become public after the investigation is concluded
There would have to be – it’s NYC. CCTV is everywhere. I’m waiting for TikTok to start blowing up with video – someone had to have caught something on camera. (I do get that things like this happen quickly, so I don’t think someone would’ve had time to grab the camera – but SOMEONE had to have been recording something else and gotten this.)
Except H&M’s statement put out publicly said nothing about “high speed”. Yet again they are being misquoted to amp up the drama against them. You can endanger others with something as large as an automobile without breaking any speed limit.
@equality, exactly, this whole thing is being reported to make it seem that they are EXAGGERATING.THEY never said it was high speed for 2 hours. Christ these idiots will try and twist any and everything the Sussexes say to try and paint a negative picture of them, just like they did with Harry’s book. Bstds the lot of them
The gaslighting and outright lying are so exhausting that I need to take a break. Nowhere in their statement did they say “high speed”. They did not make it sound like the OJ car chase. They used the words “nearly catastrophic” because so many others were in danger at any time. Had a pedestrian/other driver/bystander been injured it would absolutely have been catastrophic and the media would have feasted for days. Charles really is a shit father though. I don’t care that he didn’t make a statement but just the fact that he allows the dehumanization and targeting to continue boggles my mind. I remember once reading that no one would be allowed to speak of Kate in the ways they have of Meghan and it’s so true. Even when they “criticized” her, there was nowhere this vitriol. These two haven’t committed any crime yet their every action and every word is parsed to such a degree that it makes me sick. Idk when I will return but I hope they’re surrounded by their loved ones, I know they’ve got a good support system.
To be fair, the OJ chase was a really low speed chase. I think the fastest they went was like 35.
It’s sick that either way, M&H/bystanders are hurt or not hurt, the media wins, and they know it.
This night started off so good for them .
Meg got her award and her mom and husband was there to support her. Then all hell literally broke loose. I can only imagine that Archie and lili Kept flashing through their thoughts. This was so unnecessary and cruel and dangerous. These people don’t care . They want them gone at any means necessary. Harry court case has a lot of people on salt isle scared. So scared they are willing to do things like this . I think now would be the perfect time for Harry to drop those other 400 pages . Because all bets are now off . They came for his wife, his mother in law and him. They were willing to leave his babies orphaned . F being considerate. I would be going nuclear on all their asses.
It wouldn’t surprise me at all if this was a line in the sand moment for Harry. I know he’s been moving on with his life but, most likely, something deep inside of him was still holding hope that he would be able to reconcile with his bio family.
However, after the attempt to terrorize him, Meghan, and Doria, and knowing how in bed the royals are with the BM (along with the no message of support for HM) who arranged this terror, Harry is probably 1. exhausted, 2. furious beyond belief, 3. about to see his bio family in a whole new light and now, he. is. done.
EVEN IF, ands it a big IF, the paps were “keeping a respectful distance” as the one taxi driver says, their obvious intent was to follow the Sussexes to the residence where they were staying and stake them out. This whole situation, added to the lurker/stalker arrested in Montecito, is terrifying and feels like a much bigger story. Also, the palaces’ silence is deafening.
That cab driver is a moron. I’m sure he was CashhApped plenty for his cooperation. To immediately be on Piss Moron’s show like that? And of course he would say the paps kept their distance because his taxi had cop cars surrounding it.
I don’t know what the can driver said to piss but he put out a statement saying that the Sussexes were terrified when they got in, he’d never seen anything like it before even though over the years he’s driven a lot of celebrities, that he was compensated nicely and he was treated very well by them.
Did he say this before or after he said that he felt it was no big deal? This guy is all over the place with what he is saying, so to me his credibility is shot.
@msiam I’ve only heard the one statement I wrote about, but if he really is telling multiple stories he isn’t credible, like you said.
I’m a rideshare driver in Austin. I have a firm policy of not discussing my riders, especially the famous ones. So I am horrified that the cab driver is giving interviews.
@MsIam, I think it’s more that press coverage of his remarks is inconsistent. Sometimes, the outlet repeats all of his points, and sometimes, they conveniently leave out the stuff that corroborates the Sussexes’ story.
The cab driver is obviously star struck and enjoying his 15 minutes of worldwide fame and is milking it and willing to say anything.
I actually pity the way he is being used.
It’s so infuriating that this entire situation is being parsed to the point of being meaningless. The taxi driver was only involved at and around the police precinct. If the paps had been aggressively beating down his windows right outside the precinct then they would have been arrested. It is common f*cking sense that they hung back in front of the police until the taxi started driving and then began following them again. Once their security noticed they were still being followed, they had the driver return to the precinct. Why is this so hard for people to understand?!?
It isn’t hard to understand. People are being deliberately obtuse.
Thanks for the additional info about them going to the police department. I’m surprised the mayor wasn’t better briefed but I admit I also understood the description to mean 2 hours in the car chase, not the ordeal as a whole.
I will go back and reread the original statement for clarity but honestly the more I hear the more it sounds like a flat out horror film.
Mayor Adams needs to go on record and make a more accurate statement.
Scepticism about a 2 hour “high speed” chase? Their spokesperson never said it was 2 hours of “high speed”; they said it was 2 hours of relentless chase. Sh*% like that doesn’t need to be high speed, zipping around like the cast of F&F to be dangerous, it just needs to be relentless (which also means reckless). People get killed by the tonnage of cars being driven reckless drivers at slow speeds ALL the damn time: just ask the families of all the people who were minding their own business crossing the street where a distracted driver turned at the wrong time or down the wrong way.
As a NYC lifetime resident, I absolutely loathe Adams. He doubts it was two hrs even though his beloved NYPD confirmed it? Ok.
I think at the time he made that statement he hadn’t been briefed yet, said he hadn’t been briefed yet and the police hadn’t made any statement. IIRC in The NY Times he was quoted as saying something about looking into two officers being injured, but late the police reported no injuries.
So, combination of press pushing for answers when there weren’t any available yet and him talking off the cuff without a full briefing.
One other thing: it’s interesting how on the outlets I’ve looked at comments the naysayers are focusing on the same handful of things blaming the Sussexes. All in the pattern of the abusers/narcissist/gaslighters:
– it didn’t happen, they are making it up for drama
– if it happened, it wasn’t that bad
– if it happened and was bad, it’s all their fault and they should of managed it differently (eg the # of comments saying they should have just called police or gone to a police station when – they did (police were with them) and they did )
Never any concern for a swarm of vehicles working in tandem in public with illegally covered plates, illegally darkened windows* and operating recklessly putting others in danger and blocking flow of traffic.
* window tinting is one of the things sometimes used by police to pull over cars otherwise operating legally. There’s a % of tinting that’s legal but some shops go well beyond that, and cops can say “it looked too dark” because they don’t know for sure until they get up close and measure it. The laws vary by state in the US. But there are some parts of the glass that can’t be tinted, so that’s a more straightforward thing.
The blacked out windows are definitely illegal here. That was enough for them to be arrested. So are the plates. Both front and back been to be visible. They had a whole sting a few weeks ago with hundreds of stops bc of this.
But again, that’s why I can’t stand Adams. If you weren’t briefed yet, just say that with no further comment. Your opinion doesn’t matter here, yet. You’re just showing bias.
@North of Boston
Thank you for this information. Surely some of them are going to get arrested for all these contraventions?
this made my blood run cold. And now I know what happened to Diana and it all points to the royal institution and specifically to Charles and Camilla, who never could have gotten married had Diana not been murdered.
all of the horrid people saying this is a lie have never even been chased by paparazzi let alone private security/MI6 types. Even five minutes of a chase like that would scar someone for life.
Mayor Adams should have briefed before making any statements. I think he:s looking from a political lens; this is the third incident of individual and public safety that has happened on his watch. He needs this settled or NYC voters may fire him on Election Day.
We want to fire him period. He is an awful mayor that cares more about protecting his precious police state than funding education, healthcare, and social and youth services crucial to NYC residents.
Here, here.
WTF is going on in New York, man? Your governor is wack too.
New York deserves so much better smdh.
This is distressing to witness. There is no way behaviour like this against anyone is okay, but we the little people see how egregious attacks often go unpunished. I think I assumed having money could protect the Sussexes from the most severe consequences of abuse, but it doesn’t appear this is true. This unrelenting punishment for fleeing familial abuse is something else. No words.
The Sussexes never said it was high speed, but like Adams said, even 10 minutes would have been too long. And people are acting like you can never drive fast in NYC. I mean maybe not through Times Square, but I think they were on one of the highways of sorts that runs down it (FDR maybe?) so they were driving faster.
I hate how people are taking comments like Adams and the cab drivers and twisting them to make it sound like H&M are lying. they are not. even the cabbie said that he had never seen anything like the paparazzi’s behavior before. Nothing about this was normal or safe.
I love the Sussexes, but they would have been better served to provide more detail. They could have mentioned that they had to go to a police station twice. Had they said in all, it took two hours to get back to where they were staying when it should have been a fill-in-the-blank number of minutes, they would not have set themselves up to have media poke holes in their story and call them liars.
Even if the Sussex’s details every minute every nano seconds their are a sectional of people who will never believe any thing. Meghan and Harry can’t say hello without a conspiracy theory Meghan was suicidal and people called her a liar Meghan was pregnant three times people are convinced she was never pregnant. People are cherry picking what ever Narrative they wanted to believe especially if they think they got a gotcha moment with Meghan and Harry.
One thing you should know and understand about the Sussexes — they NEVER respond off the cuff to anything in the heat of the moment, especially something as serious as this. They get every T crossed and I dotted before they speak. They consult lawyers and their PR team before making any kind of statements. Meghan, especially, is VERY media savvy and they will handle this in the best possible way to provide an honest, even-handed response.
I feel so badly for Meghan. This was an amazing night and such an honor for her. To have it end up this way is sad and ugly. I wonder if they will ever be left alone by the RF/RR/Britishit media.
Well, if New York City can’t make security better at the Gracie Awards, it will be big black eye for the city. If the same thing happens again, then it’s on the police and mayor if anyone gets harmed or killed. I hope they’re not that stupid.
Look at today’s Murdoch’s New York Post front page. Bollocks.
The haters were always going to try to discredit the Sussexes’ account. It’s what they do.
The essential facts, though, are not disputed: A vehicle transporting Harry, Meghan and Doria was pursued by other vehicles that drove recklessly and put people’s lives at risk. It was disgusting.
What this whole incident also revealed was a way a terrorist or other murderous criminal could get around security to get at someone: scooters, motorcycles, motorbikes, etc.
I hope the Secret Service is paying attention to what the ‘paparazzi’ did.