Prince Harry and wife Meghan in 'near catastrophic car chase' involving paparazzi

Prince Harry, his wife Meghan and her mother Doria Ragland were involved in a ‘near catastrophic’ car chase after being followed by paparazzi, a spokesperson for the Prince has said.

The incident occurred after Harry and Meghan left an awards ceremony in New York on Tuesday (16 May).

The spokesperson blasted the paparazzi for the ‘relentless pursuit’, which they say lasted more than two hours and which resulted in ‘multiple near collisions’.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the couple said: “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.

ITV

“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.”

The couple were accompanied by Meghan’s mother, Doria, at the Ms. Foundation's 50th Anniversary Women of Vision Gala event.

The awards ceremony was the first public event the couple have attended since the King’s Coronation earlier this month, which Meghan did not attend.

Meghan received the Ms Foundation’s Women of Vision Award, recognising her ‘global advocacy to empower and advocate on behalf of women and girls’.

ITV

Accepting the award, 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. I am a woman who remains inspired and driven by this organisation.

“It allowed me to recognise that part of my greater value and purpose in life was to advocate for those who felt unheard, to stand up to injustice, and to not be afraid of saying what is true and what is just and what is right.”

Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal roles in 2020 and started a new life in the US with their children Archie and Lilibet.

Harry’s mother Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in 1997 while her driver was attempting to flee the paparazzi. The horrific crash killed Dodi Fayed and the driver, Henri Paul, who was the acting security manager of the Hôtel Ritz Paris.