King Charles 'has not spoken' to Prince Harry since 'near catastrophic' car chase with Meghan in New York
19 May 2023, 18:43
King Charles has not been in contact with Prince Harry since his "near catastrophic" car chase with paparazzi in New York on Tuesday.
Harry and Meghan's spokesperson said that the couple were pursued "aggressively" by photographers chased through the streets of New York, over the course of two hours.
A spokesperson for the NYPD, who "assisted" the couple's private security team, played down the events and said that the car journey was a "bit chaotic".
The Duke and Duchess have not heard from the King or any senior members of the royal family since the chase, the Telegraph reported.
The couple are understood to be disappointed by the lack of contact from their family members.
Listen and subscribe to Unprecedented: Inside Downing Street on Global Player
Witness describes ‘aggressive’ paparazzi ‘heckling’ Harry and Meghan before car chase
The events of Tuesday night saw the couple, accompanied by the Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, and a single bodyguard, attempt to avoid the paparazzi by swapping their SUV for a yellow New York taxi before later switching vehicles again.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the couple's spokesman said: "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."
US Royal Correspondent weighs in on Prince Harry and Meghan's ‘paparazzi car chase’
But former Royal Security police chief Dai Davies said that it "beggars belief" that Harry and Meghan’s team hailed a taxi and bundled them inside.
And the taxi driver who picked up Harry and Meghan during the chase said that "It wasn’t like a car chase in a movie".
Suckcharn 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."
It's now emerged lawyers for the royal couple have submitted a letter to photo agency Backgrid USA, who own the rights to the photos and videos of the royals taken that evening by four freelance photographers.
The legal letter demanded the agency "immediately provide" them with copies of all assets taken by the photographers after they left the Ms Foundation’s Women of Vision awards ceremony in Manhattan.
As part of a firmly worded response, Backgrid’s lawyers retorted: “In America, as I'm sure you know, property belongs to the owner of it: Third parties cannot just demand it be given to them, as perhaps Kings can do”.
The pithy response also told the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that the US is not a country that plays by "English rules of royal prerogative" when it comes to property.
Read more: New York police say Harry and Meghan car chase was ‘a bit chaotic’ but not ‘near catastrophic’
A statement issued on Thursday by Backgrid which noted the photographers in Manhattan on Tuesday evening “had no intention of causing any distress or harm, as their only tool was their cameras.”
In a statement, the company added: “According to the photographers present, there were no near-collisions or near-crashes during this incident.“
The photographers have reported feeling that the couple was not in immediate danger at any point.”
