Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Were Chased by “Aggressive Paparazzi” for Two Hours Last Night

The couple was involved in a “near catastrophic car chase,” they said in a statement.

Just hours after Meghan Markle took the stage to accept her Women of Vision award at the Ms. Foundation for Women’s annual gala, she and Prince Harry were reportedly involved in a “near catastrophic car chase,” according to a spokesperson for the Sussexes.

In a statement obtained by CNN, the spokesperson shared that both the couple and Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, were in the vehicle when the dangerous incident took place, lasting over “two hours” in total.

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

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While the statement added that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex understand that “being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public,” it also reiterated that this distinction “should never come at the cost of anyone’s safety.”

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

According to People, the trio was on their way to a friend's private residence after the event when "half a dozen blacked out vehicles pursued their car, running red lights, reversing down a one-way street, driving on the sidewalk, driving while on the phone and taking photographs in their attempts to take photos of the couple and Doria."

The chase took place after the duchess was honored at the Women of Vision gala for "her global advocacy to empower and advocate on behalf of women and girls," according to the foundation, where she and Prince Harry were heavily photographed by paparazzi when entering and exiting the event.

During a press conference held on Wednesday afternoon, New York City Mayor Eric Adams commented on the incident, saying that public safety should always be paramount, not nabbing the perfect paparazzi shot.

“Paparazzi … they want to get the right shot, they want to get the right story. But public safety must always be at the forefront. It would be horrific to lose an innocent bystander during a chase like this, and something to happen to them as well," he said. "So, I think it can be extremely irresponsible … it was a bit reckless and irresponsible.”

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