The taxi driver who claimed he was driving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Tuesday night has said they “weren’t chased” by photographers.
A spokesperson for Harry said the Sussexes had been involved in a “near catastrophic” chase by paparazzi in New York.
The “relentless pursuit” which was “at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi” lasted over two hours and resulted in multiple near collisions, they said.
Driver Sukhcharn Singh told the Washington Post that he had picked the couple up in his yellow cab at around 11pm outside the New York City Police Department’s 19th precinct on East 67th street.
In Singh’s account, the couple’s security guard waved him down and asked: “Do you want a fare?”
Mr Singh claimed to have driven the group towards Park Avenue before heading south.
During the drive, he said they were pursued by a black Honda Accord and a gray Honda CR-V.
He told the newspaper: “They kept following us and were coming next to the car.
“They took pictures as we stopped and were filming us.”
The couple’s security guard grew anxious about the photographers and asked Mr Singh to drive back to the police station.
Mr Singh then drove the couple back to the pickup joint, with the total journey lasting around 10 minutes.
“I don’t think I would call it a chase,” Mr Singh said. “I never felt like I was in danger.
“It wasn’t like a car chase in a movie. They were quiet and seemed scared but it’s New York — it’s safe.”
An NYPD spokesperson said: “On Wednesday 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.”
A spokesperson for Harry said: “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 in involved.”
