The Duchess of Sussex and her royal husband have needed New York law enforcement to help their private security team protect them from paparazzi's relentless pursuit.
- May 18, 2023
AceShowbiz - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex safely reached their destination following their near-crash. The royal couple - who had turned up at the Ms Foundation for Women's annual gala in New York on Tuesday, May 16 - were in a car with Meghan's mother Doria Ragland after the event as they were allegedly being followed by paparazzi.
Now the NYPD has issued a statement in which they claim that "no arrests" have been made following the incident, nor was anyone at the scene injured.
In a statement, police said, "Tuesday evening, May 16, the NYPD assisted the private security team protecting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. There were numerous photographers that made their transport challenging. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries or arrests in regard."
Just hours after the incident occurred, an insider claimed that the couple and Meghan's mother were still "very upset" over what was called a "near catastrophic" incident. A source told UsWeekly, "They were all terrified throughout the whole ordeal. Everyone is still very upset."
Following the crash, a representative for Harry - whose mother Princess Diana was killed in a car accident in 1997 at the age of 36 - alleged that the "relentless pursuit" of the royal couple had resulted in "near collisions" involving a slew of other drivers and pedestrians.
The rep said, "This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians, and two NYPD (New York Police Department) officers."
They added, "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. Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all involved."
Meghan - who tied the knot with Harry in 2018 and later stepped down from royal duties along with her husband in 2020 as they sought a new life in LA - received a Woman of Vision Award at the ceremony on Tuesday, and she urged other women to continue their fight for equality. She said, "It's never too late to start. You can be the visionary of your own life... There is still so much work to be done."
Harry was recently seen at his father King Charles' coronation ceremony earlier this month, flying in but heading back to Los Angeles just hours later to celebrate his son Archie's fourth birthday.
