Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty
On Tuesday, May 16, the Duchess and Duke of Sussex stepped out at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City forthe Ms. Foundation Women of Vision AwardsasMeghan was honored as one of this year’s Woman of Vision Awardhonorees for her advocacy to empower women.
Meghan was also photographed with Teresa Younger and Gloria Steinem, who presented her with the award on stage.
Here’s everything to know about the night.
Who was involved in the car chase?
Doria Ragland, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
The car chase involved Meghan,Prince Harryand Meghan’s mother, Doria, a spokesperson for the couple said in a statement to PEOPLE. The spokesperson added that the incident involved “a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi” who were in pursuit of the couple.
What happened during the car chase?
A spokesperson for Meghan andPrince Harryreferred to the incident as a “near catastrophic car chase” that lasted “over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers.”
Meghan,Prince Harryand her mother Doria were making their way back to a friend’s private residence, where they were staying, and did not want to compromise the location, PEOPLE has learned. PEOPLE was told that the paparazzi cars were behaving unsafely, including running red lights and taking photographs while driving.
The NYPD released a statement about the events, saying, “On 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.”
Have Meghan Markle and Prince Harry released a statement about the car chase?
James Devaney/GC Images
A spokesperson for the couple shared a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday morning, saying, “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.”
“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,“Prince Harryand Meghan’s spokesperson added.
The spokesperson also said, “Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all in involved.”
Has the NYPD released a statement about the car chase?
On Wednesday morning, theNew York Police Department said in a statement: “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.”
Has Mayor Eric Adams released a statement about the car chase?
During a public safety announcement about retail theft on Wednesday morning, a reporter asked New York City Mayor Eric Adams if he couldshare any information or comment about the chase.
“It’s clear that the press, paparazzis, they want to get the right shot, they want to get the right story, but public safety must always be at the forefront,” Adams said.
“We have a lot of traffic, a lot of movement, a lot of people are using our streets,” Adams added. “Any type of high speed chase that involves something of that nature is inappropriate.”
Has Buckingham Palace released a statement about the car chase?
King Charles continued his royal duties on Wednesday, including an outing in London with Queen Camilla early in the day.
Have the photographers released a statement about the car chase?
On Wednesday afternoon, photo agency BACKGRID USA Inc. shared a statement to PEOPLE about the incident. “At BACKGRID USA Inc., we value transparency and ethics in journalism, which include providing fair and factual responses to claims. We are aware ofPrince Harry’s statement regarding an alleged ‘near catastrophic car chase’ involving himself,Meghan Markle, and her mother, in New York City on Tuesday night,” the statement began.
They added that they “received photos and videos of last night’s events from four freelance photographers, three of whom were in cars and one of whom was riding a bicycle.”
The statement concluded: “At BACKGRID USA Inc., we do not condone any form of harassment or illegal activity. We are takingPrince Harry’s allegations seriously and will be conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.”
source: people.com
