Meghan slammed for ‘totally over-the-top’ security detail in NYC

“Out of control”: Meghan’s low-key night out to catch a Broadway show reportedly featured an “abnormal” security detail.

IN LONDON

Meghan Markle has been called out for a “totally over-the-top” decision to use four security vehicles during a night out in New York City.

The Duchess of Sussex attended the Broadway show Gypsy on Thursday night, opting to travel with three SUVs and an unmarked police car.

Page Six reports that she hired former Secret Service agents as part of her private security team and that the NYPD-owned unmarked vehicle had two detectives in it.

It also reports that while Meghan rode in one of the SUVs, the other two were empty and used only as decoys – a move a paparazzi insider described to the outlet as “absolutely abnormal, totally over-the-top and excessive”.

Meghan went backstage to meet the cast of Gypsy after attending the show on Broadway. Picture: Instagram

She reportedly travelled in a four-car motorcade. Picture: Instagram

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“Taylor [Swift] usually has two cars — her car that she’s in and a security car with her team,” the source told Page Six, “and if she’s going somewhere, she has a separate car on-site with her team already there, but they don’t travel together.”

They added: “Meghan is out of control and over-the-top, and it’s ridiculous if the city is paying for this.”

Meghan posted about her night out on Instagram, sharing a series of pictures of herself with the cast – including one of her vocal supporters, actress Audra MacDonald – along with a short video.

“If you get a chance to see @gypsybway, you absolutely must,” she wrote in the caption.

“Congratulations to the tremendously talented cast and crew for creating magic on that stage. And meeting [Audra McDonald] for the first time last night …

“Her performance will leave you absolutely speechless. Full body chills. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house, and if the theatre didn’t have to close for the night, the standing ovation would still be happening.”

It comes two years after Harry and Meghan’s rep claimed they were caught in a “near catastrophic car chase”. Picture: Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

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The multiple Tony Award-winning performer has previously spoken passionately in defence of Meghan amid “online abuse” aimed at her.

Meanwhile, prior to the show, Meghan reportedly had an early dinner with friends at Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bar.

The outing comes nearly two years after she and Harry were caught up in what their publicist described as a “near catastrophic car chase” with paparazzi during a previous visit to the New York City.

“This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers,” they claimed at the time.

“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.”

However, the incident generated plenty of controversy in the ensuing days, with multiple sources casting doubt on the allegations.

A police source even told The New York Post at the time that there had been “no collision reports or 911 calls”.

The Sussexes’ rep later firmly rubbished the suggestion that it was a publicity stunt.

“Respectfully, considering the duke’s family history, one would have to think nothing of the couple or anybody associated with them to believe this was any sort of PR stunt,” their publicist pointed out, in reference to Princess Diana’s death following a car accident during a paparazzi chase in 1997.