Prince Harry suspected an NYPD ‘coverup’ on the 2023 paparazzi chase

In May 2023, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Doria Ragland attended the Ms. Foundation event in New York. It was an evening event, and while Meghan and Harry mostly ducked the paparazzi going into the event, they left the event through one of the main doors and that allowed paparazzi to get some shots of Harry and Meghan as their security led them to their cars. Once the Sussexes and their security left the scene, all hell broke loose. Paparazzi and, um, other cars and SUVs tried to chase down the Sussexes’ vehicles. It was a chaotic scene which could have cost lives. The Sussexes’ security took them into a police station at one point because the situation was so dire. What happened after the paparazzi chase was a whole lotta nothing – Mayor Eric Adams downplayed the incident, and the British media decided, without evidence, that Harry and Meghan fantasized the entire incident and they were clearly lying. To this day, no arrests have been made and there have been no updates on the investigation. Until now! Apparently, Harry spent months demanding a real investigation and demanding that arrests be made. The Daily Mail got their hands on some documentation via FOIA requests.

Prince Harry pressured New York cops to speed up their investigation and make arrests after their ‘high speed’ chase with photographers through the streets of Manhattan. He even claimed there was a cover-up, letters and emails obtained by DailyMail.com show.

‘The duke feels intentionally misled and is suspicious of a cover-up,’ one missive from his security company to the New York Police Department said. Harry also demanded that arrests be made the very next day and threatened to make an official complaint. The demand came after John Hart, the NYPD’s top intelligence officer, had sent police in London two letters, one saying there was not enough evidence to make arrests and a second – three months later – saying there was. To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the May 2023 incident.

Hart’s original letter was sent in September 2023. The second arrived on December 6 that year, midway through a hearing in London when he was trying to get the British government to pay for protection for him and his family while visiting the UK. But TorchStone then sent an email saying Harry was upset at the slow pace of the NYPD’s investigation and felt ‘intentionally misled’.

Harry even asked California Governor Gavin Newsom for a contact with the prosecutors in New York – and wanted to take the matter higher if ‘necessary’.

Emails obtained by DailyMail.com through a Freedom of Information request show that Harry’s team repeatedly pressed the NYPD about the incident. The first letter from the NYPD was dated September 18, 2023, and was addressed to Richard Smith, the Chief Superintendent Commander for Royalty and Specialty Protection at the Metropolitan Police in London.

The letter says that a thorough review of the incident had taken place and they concluded ‘that the behavior in question was reckless’, but they didn’t have enough evidence to make an arrest. In a statement at the time, the NYPD said there were ‘numerous photographers that made their (the Sussexes) transport challenging’. ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard,’ said Julian Phillips, the Deputy Commissioner for Public Information.

Hart later met with three people from TorchStone for 30 minutes on Microsoft Teams. The subject of the visit was: ‘NYC Visit of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’, referring to the planned visit that October by the Sussexes to New York for World Mental Health Day. Then, on December 6, Hart sent the second letter to police in London, copying it to TouchStone under the subject line ‘as discussed’. The letter was the same as the first, with one key difference – there was now ‘sufficient evidence to arrest two individuals for reckless endangerment’.

The second letter appeared to provide a sense of vindication for the Sussexes and arrived at a crucial time for the Duke. December 6 was the second day of a three-day hearing at the High Court in London where he was trying to compel the British government to give him full royal security protection while on visits to the UK.

[From The Daily Mail]

The Mail won’t come out and say it, but they’re insinuating that Harry pulled strings to force the NYPD to exaggerate the paparazzi chase as a way to strengthen Harry’s security case in England. Obviously, Harry would sue the Mail (again) if they came right out and said that, so that’s why it’s merely an insinuation. For what it’s worth, I always believed that the paparazzi chase was really dangerous and I also believe that the people chasing the Sussexes were not solely paparazzi. Their actions were not “photographers hunting for a million-dollar photo.” I also found it suspicious that the NYPD was seemingly fine with shrugging off the investigation, and yet the same police department gave the Sussexes really hardcore protection when they visited months later. Which is it – were the Sussexes exaggerating the danger they faced, or did the NYPD not want to get blamed if they allowed Harry & Meghan to be in that kind of danger again?


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Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

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33 Responses to “Prince Harry suspected an NYPD ‘coverup’ on the 2023 paparazzi chase”

  1. Spartan says:

    I’m always here for scorched earth Harry. He clearly knows or suspects something.

  2. Dee(2) says:

    Well being generous one could say that with more investigation they found enough evidence to arrest someone in those three months, that they didn’t have when they sent the first letter. I don’t particularly believe that though it sounds more like they’re covering their butts because they realize that Harry wasn’t just going to let it go. That he probably either realized that he could prove a cover up or that he was going to continue to pressure them and this was a high profile person that if this information got out would be worse for them. It’s not like NYPD is having a stellar season right now (if they ever have) as far as following through on allegations of misconduct within their ranks. Of course daily mail wants to make it sound like he was doing something nefarious, they wish with all their heart that Harry was actually Andrew.

  3. Amy Bee says:

    Is this supposed to make Harry look bad? I’m glad he’s able to advocate for himself and the NYPD realised that they needed more security. The British press say that Harry and Meghan are irrelevant but their actions say otherwise. I have no doubt that they put a bounty and Harry and Meghan that night.

  4. somebody says:

    If there were no injuries or property damage the police aren’t likely to put in much effort.

  5. Brassy Rebel says:

    Given what we now know about the level of corruption in the Adams administration and how it filtered down through the NYPD, there probably is a cover up. Dangle money in front of the Mayor and his appointments and they will happily do your bidding.

  6. ML says:

    Well, since December of this year, we know that the NYPD thoroughly checks a plethora of cameras and other evidence qyickly and thoroughly, right? They must have traced several of the “chasers/ paps” movements from when they entered NYC go what they did after H&M were safe. Considering stalking is a crime, this should be kind of simple, no? No?!

  7. Jais says:

    I’m confused. There was evidence to make two arrests but no arrests have been made? But yeah, the fact Harry and Meghan seem to now get very good security in nyc indicates that the nypd are aware it was reckless and dangerous the first time and don’t want a repeat.

    • SussexWatcher says:

      I wonder if arrests were unable to be made because the perpetrators in the non-paparazzi cars left America (and returned to the UK, if, as suspected, they were paid by the tabloids or Leftovers). So they were beyond reach by that point.

      I’m glad Harry demanded the investigation continue. He knows that keeping quiet about these threats isn’t the way to stay safe. Anyone trying to hurt him or Meghan are just plain stupid anyway because you know 100% that he has documents ready to be released that will burn his family to the ground if anything happens to them. If the Leftovers were smart – which we know they’re not! – they’d be doing all they could to ensure Harry and his family stay safe.

      • Jais says:

        That’s possible, yes. That the arrests weren’t made bc they are now in the uk. Couldn’t they be named though?

  8. Fastgran50 says:

    At least it is a normal story. Just now the papers are so sugary over the royals it so sickening. Of course the BM and the Australian trash are saying how awful 2024 has been for Harry and Meghan they will be getting divorced soon. Hope 2025 will be a better year for them. Was I living on a different planet from the trashy papers, to my untrained eye they had a successful year. On another note if you go to the invictus games foundation’s
    Site you will see a beautiful short video called pass it on

    • sevenblue says:

      They say that every year for H&M 😭😭 The funny thing is, Will told himself that 2024 was his worst year. They are all projecting, but Will isn’t keeping up with the narrative.

  9. Honey says:

    I must be dense because I don’t understand “the people chasing the Sussexes was not solely paparazzi.” Who were they and what was their purpose?

    • Lawrenceville says:

      As in, like, the people that chased princess Diana on that fateful night were not solely paparazzi. Now you get?

      Yeah my belief is that the 2 individuals being people of interest were British nationals, flown in for the sole purpose of trying to make history repeat itself but this time Harry and Meghan in place of Diana and Dodi. Buy the time those 2 individuals had been pin pointed they were already back in the UK, thus no arrests could be made because they were already out of NYPD jurisdiction.

      • Honey says:

        Thank you @Lawrenceville. I know there have been theories, but did not know about this one.

      • Tessa says:

        And the cameras were off in that tunnel in Paris that night. And the scene of the accident was cleared away a,little too fast.

      • CherryBerry says:

        Also Tessa, Harry wrote in his book that he saw the pictures the paparazzi took right after the car accident, he said she looked fine and alert and well. Then the ambulance that took her pulled over to the side for over 40 minutes. I remember the the US reporters mentioning their confusion as to why they would do that when there was a hospital minutes away. Her body was also cremated very fast, most likely so her family couldn’t do an autopsy.

      • Anon says:

        Harry’s attendance at the gala wasn’t confirmed until he showed up. I don’t remember if Doria’s was either… when you see security photos from that event before and as they left, H&M’s team had hands on M at all times–like nothing I’d seen before, and I remembered thinking, they must’ve gotten a tip about something. But I went to sleep and woke up to the news of the chase and the photos and thought it wasn’t a coincidence. It was history repeating itself, except I think Harry’s presence changed the plan. No paparazzi in the business of taking and getting paid to take PHOTOS is driving around that recklessly in blacked out cars. Period. They used “photographers” as a cover when what was happening was bullying, stalking, and witness intimidation (against H).

        When the Daily Fail (and the Sun, I believe—owned by murdoch and rothermere, whose companies H is suing) rushed to post the photos and then swiftly took down the photos and articles they posted abut the chase, we knew what was up.

      • Holly says:

        If you want to know more about Diana’s death, type ‘Mitchell and Webb Diana conspiracy’ into YouTube. That video explains everything.

  10. Vuyelwa Ncube says:

    In the court case the NYPD wrote to Scotland Yard reporting what had transpired as inter police information sharing

    • BeanieBean says:

      I couldn’t quite figure out why the NYPD would be writing ‘letters’ (surely sent via email, right?) to SY, particularly since Harry’s had a devil of a time getting SY to cooperate with his own security.

  11. TN Democrat says:

    This incident is what made me realize just how much the press (and royals feeding them the stories) gaslights the Sussexes and the impact of their manipulation of facts on the general public. Two middle aged ladies in my life that do not know each other or follow the royals randomly told me the Sussexes faked this story for media attention because it was inpossible to chase anyone in New York City using the same wording. This incident was insidious and went way beyond pictures being taken. It had to make Harry question what really happened when his mom died, who was involved and what the intentions were. Weird how many cameras exist in New York can be used when the NYPD and the elite want someone caught.

    • Jais says:

      The main thing for me was that the Sussexes never said high speed chase anywhere in their statement. I believe Adams stupidly said that when asked without knowing the details and while trying to deflect. The Sussexes said relentlessly pursued and never called it a high speed chase. Adams also said you can’t get up to high speeds which is also untrue especially as they were on the west side highway for a portion of time. I used to take night classes at city college in Harlem and then drive home to bklyn afterwards around 9 and yes you can get up to high speeds on it at that time and there’s also these narrow curving tunnels that are kind of harrowing. Cars would fly by much faster than I was going.

      • BeanieBean says:

        Those must have been exhausting times for you, night classes followed by such a long drive home. Impressive! I took one evening class one term & never again, I’m just not physically capable of those hours.

      • Jais says:

        It was exhausting and I was teaching HS in bklyn during the day! Needless to say my ambition to get another masters waned but I did get some cool courses in. However everyone in the class worked during the day and took classes at night so there were many there who were more exhausted than me who stuck it out😂. They’re the real ones.

    • Tessa says:

      It is gaslighting to say the accident could not happen. yes there are many auto accidents in nyc. Hit and runs and so on

  12. Monica says:

    Harry was not suppose to be on this trip….

    • sevenblue says:

      Yeah, that is the scary part. This was planned before they knew Harry was with Meghan. It wasn’t public info that he was gonna be there. It is unimaginable what would happen if it was only Meghan and her mother there. They would paint Meghan as crazy and trying to look like Diana for sure even if nothing happened. Just Harry being there protected her from potential years long smear campaign.

  13. Lala11_7 says:

    I despise Eric Adams for damn near the SAME reason I despise POS Trump!🤬 I am proud of Harry taking on the fight his Mama NEVA got the chance to do and protecting HIS family like his British Family have NEVA protected each other!

  14. bisynaptic says:

    Of course there was a coverup. And why is the NYPD sending London police a letter about this?

    • Magdalena says:

      Excellent question. One assumes that the London police, encouraged by the lackeys on the RAVEC committee, requested the details. Also, it gives them information to leak to the UK media.

      I’ll bet that the Sussexes’ security team will shut that down in due time. Or rather, they seem to have already shut it down, if the Daily Fail is only now reporting about this development from a whole year ago.

  15. Libra says:

    Even TMZ agreed that the chase was more dangerous than what was being reported.

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