The New York Police Department (NYPD) has issued an update after Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle were involved in a 'near catastrophic' car chase in the city.
The couple had made their first public appearance since the Duke of Sussex visited the UK alone to attend his father King Charles' Coronation. According to his spokesperson, the incident happened after the couple had attended an awards ceremony in New York on Tuesday (May 16) alongside Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland.
In a statement issued on Wednesday (May 17), the New York Police Department said: “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.”
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Harry's spokesperson previously added: "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."
The New York mayor described the paparazzi who allegedly pursued the couple at high speed through the city as “reckless and irresponsible”. In a speech on Wednesday (May 17), Eric Adams condemned the photographers who are said to have followed the Duke and Duchess.
He added that it would be “horrific” for Harry to be involved in an accident similar to the one that killed his mother Diana in 1997. The mayor said: “The briefing I received, two of our (police) officers could have been injured. New York City is different from a small town somewhere (…) this is a densely populated city.
“I don’t think there’s many of us who don’t recall how his mum died, and it would be horrific to lose an innocent bystander during a chase like this and something to have happened to them. So I think that was a bit reckless and irresponsible.”
The couple were accompanied by Doria at the Ms Foundation for Women’s 50th anniversary gala event in New York on Tuesday (May 16). The ceremony honoured “game-changing” grantee partners and visionary leaders committed to the organisation’s mission of “advancing collective power and creating safe, just and equitable futures for women, girls, and gender-expansive people”.
The duchess received the Ms Foundation’s Women of Vision Award, recognising her “global advocacy to empower and advocate on behalf of women and girls”. She wore a strapless gold midi dress with scalloped pattern detailing.
Meghan was presented with the award by renowned journalist and feminist activist Gloria Steinem. Her acceptance speech closed out the gala where 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,” she said, looking over Ms Steinem, who introduced her alongside current foundation chief executive Teresa Younger.
"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.”
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