What really happened during the Sussexes’ car chase?
Hostile paparazzi or a reckless security team? Here The Times reconstructs what happened.
“Recollections may vary,” the late Queen once remarked in response to damaging claims from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex about the royal family. The same observation has been made in the aftermath of a “near-catastrophic” paparazzi pursuit involving the couple in New York on Tuesday.
Harry and Meghan say they were the victims of a “relentless” two-hour chase, blaming “aggressive” photographers for nearly killing bystanders and police officers. The duke said it was the “closest I have ever felt” to understanding what happened when his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, died.
Witnesses, the couple’s taxi driver and police officials have cast doubt on the description of events, with some disputing that lives were at risk. The photographers accused of driving dangerously said that the Sussexes’ team were irresponsible behind the wheel.
The Times has reconstructed what happened, based on accounts from Harry and Meghan’s office, the local authorities and others.
6PM: AWARDS CEREMONY
The Sussexes arrived at the Ms Foundation ceremony at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in West 54th Street, slightly after its official start. Meghan was attending with Harry and her mother, Doria Ragland, to accept a women of vision award. Video shows them entering via a Hertz outlet in an attempt to dodge photographers.
THE MEGA AGENCY
The Sussexes were seen entering the venue via a branch of Hertz, the car rental firm. At the ceremony, Meghan was honoured for her work advocating for women and girls. Sukhcharn Singh was flagged down by the couple’s team. They rode in his cab for just ten minutes.
9.54PM: DEPARTURE
The trio, accompanied by a private security guard, left to travel to a friend’s property on the Upper East Side where they were staying. It is understood they chose not to travel directly to avoid leading photographers there. Fans and photographers took pictures as they left in a large black 4x4, part of a motorcade. Witnesses said some paparazzi followed in their own cars.
10PM: PURSUIT
A New York Police Department (NYPD) vehicle reportedly escorted the couple for more than an hour, in an effort to lose the paparazzi. A spokesman for the couple said that a “near-catastrophic car chase” ensued, involving about a dozen “highly aggressive paparazzi” in cars, on mopeds and on bicycles. It was claimed that in their “relentless pursuit” they went through red lights, drove the wrong way down a street and narrowly missed pedestrians and police officers. Chris Sanchez, a member of the couple’s security team, told CNN it was a “chaotic” scene that “could have been fatal”.
One paparazzi driver blamed the couple’s team for any “catastrophic experience”, telling ITV anonymously that their driver was “zigzagging” and “blocking” vehicles. A celebrity news agency claiming to have video of the pursuit agreed. Police appeared to play down the events. They said photographers had made the journey “challenging” but there had been no collisions, injuries or arrests.
11.15PM: ARRIVAL AT POLICE STATION
After being followed for 75 minutes, the group was driven to an NYPD command post in East 67th Street. They stayed for 15 minutes, huddling in a garage, according to the New York Post, before deciding to switch vehicles. Sanchez waved down a taxi.
11.30PM: TEN-MINUTE TAXI RIDE
Sukhcharn Singh pulled up to let the group of four into his cab. He drove for about a block and a half, then got stuck behind a dustcart, telling Sky News that “all of a sudden paparazzi came and started taking pictures”.
Video shows the vehicle stuck in traffic in East 67th Street accompanied by two police cars with flashing blue lights.
Singh said that at this point they were being pursued by two vehicles: a black Honda Accord and an older, grey Honda CR-V. He said it was not a “chase” and that despite his passengers being “nervous”, they were not in danger. Sanchez asked Singh to return to the police station.
11.40PM: FINAL LEG
Sources told the New York Post that the duke, the duchess and her mother remained hidden long enough for police to block traffic and arrange alternative transport. This time they got into the car and left “undisturbed” without being followed, arriving at the apartment after midnight.
AFTERMATH: INFORMATION WAR
Ashley Hansen, a press secretary for the duke and duchess, said she had “never experienced their vulnerability as much as I did last night (Thursday)”, and that the couple were left “incredibly scared and shaken-up”.
Backgrid, a celebrity news agency that filmed the couple, said it had seen several pictures that showed the duchess smiling in the taxi. It accused the driver of “one of the four SUVs from Prince Harry’s security escort” of “driving in a manner that could be perceived as reckless”. It said that it did not condone harrassment or illegal activity and was investigating the Sussexes’ claims. Another witness said that the couple’s team had been taunting the photographers. “They were mocking the paps, provoking them,” the witness told the New York Post, adding that their security “egged on the paps”.
Eric Adams, the mayor of New York, said he would find it hard to believe that a high-speed chase took place for two hours, though “even a ten-minute chase is extremely dangerous”.
THE TIMES
