Duke and Duchess of Sussex in ‘near catastrophic’ New York car chase

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were reportedly involved in a “relentless pursuit” for hours around New York after being chased by paparazzi.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex attend the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards in New York City on Tuesday. Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Ms. Foundation for Women

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have said they were almost involved in a “near catastrophic car chase” in New York.

According to a spokesman for the Sussexes, the pair plus Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland were in New York on Tuesday when they were pursued by paparazzi.

The couple were said to be “upset and shaken”.

New York police have said photographers made the royals’ journey through the city “challenging”.

They had just attended the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards, where the Duchess was being honoured, when it’s claimed the confrontation began.

According to reports, the trio left the awards, held at the Ziegfeld Theatre in Midtown Manhattan, at about 10pm on Tuesday night (noon Wednesday AEST) in an SUV. Website TMZ has said at some point the group changed to a New York taxi.

They were followed by about 12 paparazzi in vehicles with “their security trying their best to lose (the photographers),” a source told the New York Post.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex attend the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards in New York City on Tuesday. Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Ms. Foundation for Women

‘Relentless pursuit’

The Duke was reported to have filmed the whole incident and police confronted the paparazzi.

“This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers,” a spokesman said.

It was reported that a cameraman hit a car and another almost ran over a police officer.

News.com.au contacted police which initially did not confirm the incident. In a later statement released to media the NYPD said it had been assisting the Sussexes own security team but did not confirm a collision.

“There were numerous photographers that made their transport challenging,” police stated.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard.”

A spokesman for the royal couple said they were “extremely upset and shaken,” according to the New York Post.

“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 continued.

“Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all in involved.”

That the incident took two hours has raised some eyebrows. Conservative journalist Megyn Kelly said it was “not possible to have a ‘2hr car chase’” in New York even at 10pm due to the sheer amount of slow moving traffic and stop signs in the city.

However, the BBC reported that the couple said were staying at a friend’s house in New York but did not want to return directly to the property over security concerns for their friend.

No comment from Buckingham Palace

The BBC has reported that Buckingham Palace stated it would not be issuing a statement on the incident.

Author Omid Scobie, who is close to the Sussexes, jumped on the lack of a reaction from the palace or the Waleses.

“I understand that no member of the Royal Family has reached out to the Sussexes since today’s news broke four hours ago.”

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Doria Ragland and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex arriving at the awards after which the incident is said to have occurred. Picture: Raymond Hall/GC Images

Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, was killed in a car crash in Paris while being chased by photographers in 1997.

In BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days, Harry referred to the paparazzi as “a pack of dogs” who constantly hounded his mother.

“Every single time she went out there’d be a pack of people waiting for her,” he said.

“I mean a pack of dogs, followed her, chased her, harassed her, called her names, spat at her, trying to get a reaction, to get that photograph of her lashing out.”

In 2019 Harry released a statement saying he feared “history was repeating itself” after Meghan was attacked in the British press.

“I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person,” the statement read.

“I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”

Harry and Meghan stood down as senior royals and started a new life in America the following year.