Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have Not Heard from the Royal Family Following NYC Car Chase
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's spokesperson said they were followed by "highly aggressive paparazzi" for "over two hours"
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have not been in contact with other members of the royal family after being involved in what their spokesperson described as a "near catastrophic car chase" with photographers in New York City.
PEOPLE understands that the royal family has not reached out to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex since the incident occurred on Tuesday night.
Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace had no comment when reached by PEOPLE on Wednesday. The palace typically does not comment on matters involving Prince Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, following their step back from their royal roles in 2020. The same year, the couple relocated to Meghan's home state of California, where they reside with their young children — son Prince Archie, 4, and daughter Princess Lilibet, 23 months.
According to The Telegraph, Prince Harry and Meghan are "frustrated" by "the lack of personal contact" from his family.
"The lack of personal contact, as well as Buckingham Palace's refusal to publicly acknowledge or comment on the incident, is understood to have frustrated the couple, who friends suggested may have hoped to garner more support, particularly on a personal level," the outlet reported.
On Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told PEOPLE that Prince Harry, Meghan and her mother, Doria Ragland, were involved in a "near catastrophic car chase" while being pursued by "a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi" in the city on Tuesday night. They were attending the Ms. Foundation's Women of Vision Awards at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan where Meghan was an honoree.
"Last night, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms. Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi. This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers," the spokesperson said in a statement. "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 NYPD released a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday confirming that authorities assisted Prince Harry and Meghan's security team, saying their travel was made "challenging" by paparazzi.
Related:Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Car Chase in New York City: Everything to Know
"The NYPD assisted the private security team protecting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. There were numerous photographers that made their transport challenging," the statement said. "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard."
On how Harry and Meghan are feeling now, a source tells PEOPLE that they were "shaken" but are alright.
"It was a disturbing situation, and they were shaken, but they are glad everyone's okay," they said.
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Across the pond, members of the royal family have carried on with planned engagements. King Charles and Queen Camilla stepped out in Covent Garden Wednesday for their first joint public appearance since their coronation weekend. Later that day, the King welcomed the 2023 Prince's Trust Award winners and celebrity ambassadors for a special reception at Buckingham Palace.
On Thursday, Kate Middleton visited the Anna Freud Centre in London for her second outing of Mental Health Awareness Week. The Princess of Wales connected with experts about the latest research in mental health and spoke with students about tackling anxiety.
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