Prince Harry And Meghan Markle will have extra security when they visit New York City after the couple was involved in a car chase in May 2023.
This is evident from a letter from the New York Police Department, obtained by NBC New York On Friday, February 29, police determined in September 2023 that the paparazzi acted “recklessly” in pursuing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Although the couple has not filed any charges following the incident, they will receive extra security on their future trips to the Big Apple.
The news about Harry and Meghan’s future security officers comes a day later The everyday beast published a statement from the NYPD in December 2023 indicating that the pursuit could lead to arrests.
“We observed the following: reckless disregard of vehicle and traffic laws and continued dangerous and unacceptable behavior by the paparazzi during the night in question,” the NYPD chief of intelligence wrote to the Metropolitan Police in London. “Our conclusion, after consultation with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, is that we have sufficient evidence to arrest two individuals for reckless endangerment.”
In May 2023, Harry, 38, and Meghan, 42, visited New York City with Meghan’s mother. Doria Ragland, to attend the 2023 Women of Vision Awards. Meghan was one of many honorees at the awards ceremony.
Upon leaving the venue, the group took a taxi back to their hotel and were followed by a dozen photographers. According to the NYPD, the cameramen used vehicles, scooters and bicycles “in a manner that forced the security team… to take evasive action on several occasions.”
After the incident, Harry and Meghan’s representatives said We weekly in a statement that the chase lasted more than two hours and that they encountered “multiple near collisions” with other drivers, pedestrians and NYPD officers.
“While being a public figure comes with a degree of public interest, this should never come at the expense of anyone’s safety,” the spokesperson said in May 2023. “The dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they are obtained encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all involved.”
After the chase made headlines, Harry and Meghan were criticized and accused of over-exaggerating the event. A source said this exclusively Us at the time the duo were “shocked” by the comment.
“It’s so hurtful and inappropriate when people say otherwise,” the insider said Us later that month. “As for staying out of sight and being afraid to show their faces, that’s not going to happen. [This has] It only strengthened their resolve to stand up for themselves and speak out when they feel wronged.”