Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle and her mother, Doris, have been involved in a “near catastrophic” car chase in New York City, a spokesperson for the couple said.
The statement described the incident as a “relentless pursuit”, with paparazzi following the pair and Meghan’s mother for over two hours by around six vehicles after they left a charity event on Tuesday.
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“[The chase] resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers,” the spokesperson said.
“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,” the statement from the couple said.”
However, conflicting witness statements as well as one from New York Mayor, Eric Adams, have painted a different picture of the events.
The New York City police department confirmed the incident did occur between the three and paparazzi who “made their transport challenging”, but said no injuries, arrests or collisions took place.
At a press conference, Mr Adams said the incident was “a bit reckless and irresponsible” but found it “hard to believe” there was a “two-hour high-speed chase”.
He added however, even a short pursuit would be “extremely dangerous in New York City”.
“It’s clear that the press, the paparazzi, they want to get the right shot, but public safety must always be at the forefront.”
Buckingham Palace said it would not issue a statement on the incident.
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