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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will hand footage the Duke personally filmed of the couple and the Duchess’s mother Doria Ragland being chased by paparazzi to the New York Police Department (NYPD), according to a report.
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a statement on Wednesday saying the trio were involved in “a near catastrophic car chase” after attending an awards ceremony in New York.
Harry, Meghan and Ms Ragland were subjected to a “relentless pursuit” just hours after the Duchess received the Ms Foundation’s Women of Vision Award at the Ziegfeld Ballroom.
But newly-released footage, reportedly published by US tabloid website TMZ, has been described by the Sussex camp to Newsweek as “absolutely inexcusable”.
It shows Harry filming a photographer circling the yellow New York taxi the trio are travelling in.
READ MORE: What Harry and Meghan’s taxi driver, security and police have said about chase
Harry and Meghan could hand the footage to the NYPD, according to sources (Image: GETTY)
This material shot by the prince will now reportedly be passed to the “investigation” launched by the NYPD as they push for accountability over the incident, according to Sussex team sources speaking to Newsweek.
The incident occurred after Meghan was recognised for her “global advocacy to empower and advocate on behalf of women and girls”.
But after leaving the ceremony, the trio was said to have been subjected to “relentless pursuit” involving half-a-dozen blacked-out vehicles that were “near catastrophic”, according to a spokesperson for the couple.
They said the pursuit lasted “two hours” and resulted in multiple “near collisions” involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Doria Ragland attended the event (Image: GETTY)
The spokesperson said in the statement: “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.”
Chris Sanchez, a member of the Sussex’s security team, warned the “chaotic” chase in New York involving paparazzi photographers “could have been fatal”.
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Meghan Markle received the Ms Foundation’s Women of Vision Award at the Ziegfeld Ballroom (Image: GETTY)
He told CNN: “I have never seen, experienced anything like this. What we were dealing with was very chaotic. There were about a dozen vehicles: cars, scooters and bicycles.
“The public were in jeopardy at several points. It could have been fatal. They were jumping curbs and red lights. At one point they blocked the limousine (carrying the couple) and started taking pictures until we were able to get out.”
Mr Sanchez said he was “concerned about the principals (Prince Harry and Meghan) but more about the public because they (the paparazzi) were being so erratic.
“People were on sidewalks and crossing streets and the (paparazzi) were crossing red lights. We did everything by the letter of law.”
Harry and Meghan arriving at the Women Of Vision Awards (Image: GETTY)
Harry and Meghan switched cars “more than once” during the chase, according to Mr Sanchez. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had been seen leaving the awards ceremony in a black car before being spotted in a yellow New York taxi later.
He added the couple “were scared, exhausted, but relieved to be back” after the incident.
The New York Police Department sent officers to help escort Harry and Meghan and said “numerous photographers” had made the couple’s transport “difficult”.
The NYPD said in a statement: “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.”
New York mayor Eric Adams condemned the paparazzi who chased the couple (Image: GETTY)
New York mayor Eric Adams condemned the paparazzi who chased the couple, branding them “reckless and irresponsible”.
He added it would be “horrific” for the prince to be involved in an accident similar to the one involving his mother Princess Diana, who died when the car she was travelling in crashed in a Paris tunnel in August 1997.
Mr Adams 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.”
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