Meghan Markle and Prince Harry say they were in a “near catastrophic” car chase on the streets of Manhattan late Tuesday, May 16, per NBC News. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were apparently being chased by paparazzi, also in vehicles, following the Women of Vision Awards at New York’s Ziegfeld Ballroom, which the couple attended alongside Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland.

“This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians, and two NYPD officers,” a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess said in a statement. According to the spokesperson, the “near catastrophic car chase” came “at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi.”

The car chase, of course, calls to mind the death of Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, who died as the result of a paparazzi-spurred car crash in Paris in August 1997. “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 spokesperson added. Since abandoning their royal duties for life in the United States, Prince Harry has expressed concern that history could repeat itself, referencing the relentless paparazzi who went after his late mother following her exit from the royal family after her divorce from Charles. 

The Women of Vision Awards is the first public event Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have attended since the coronation of King Charles III, which Harry attended solo. For the event, Markle wore a stunning gold gown. Earlier this week, the couple visited youth in Santa Barbara, California, to discuss the ups and downs of social media as it relates to mental well-being, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month.

Originally Appeared on Glamour