Conflicting Reports on Prince Harry, Meghan Markle’s ‘Near Catastrophic Car Chase’ With Paparazzi

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were pursued by paparazzi Tuesday night during a cab ride from NYPD’s 19th Precinct House to an Upper East Side residence.

The Details: The couple had attended a ceremony in Manhattan before going to an NYPD station for a few hours, where they waited to call a cab, in an attempt to hide the location at which they were staying. Cab driver Sukhcharn Singh said paparazzi came “out of nowhere,” and a garbage truck blocked their route, forcing them to circle back to the precinct, but did not believe paparazzi were being “aggressive.” 

Conflicting Reports: The royals’ security and PR teams reported a “chaotic” chase, while NYPD was more muted in their response, reporting no arrests or injuries.

Key Quotes: Chris Sanchez, a member of the couple's security detail, said "The public were in jeopardy at several points," and "It could have been fatal." A spokesperson for the royals said the “Relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians, and two NYPD officers.” According to New York Post, a high-ranking source reiterated the NYPD’s statement that cops had “no collision reports or 911 calls” related to the chase.

How The Media Covered It: The story was covered by several outlets across the spectrum which covered the events similarly.