Summary:
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle involved in dangerous paparazzi car chase in NYC after attending award ceremony.
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Chased by 12 paparazzi for 2 hours, couple eventually jumps into yellow cab to avoid further harassment.
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Incident draws comparisons to Princess Diana’s fatal paparazzi chase in Paris, sparking calls for tighter restrictions.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were involved in a near fatal paparazzi car chase in New York City. After attending the Women of Vision Awards, in which Markle was honored by longtime feminist activist Gloria Steinem, the couple left the Ziegfeld theater alongside Markle’s mother Doria Ragland.
The trio left the event in an SUV at 10 p.m. ET, and were then chased by a group of 12 paparazzi for the next two hours through midtown Manhattan. The couple eventually jumped into an ordinary yellow cab to avoid further harassment. A representative for Markle confirmed to Page Six that “This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers.”
A source present during the incident claimed that uniformed NYPD officers attempted to stop the chase, but the paparazzi ignored them and continued the commotion. The rep for Markle also said that “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.”
The incident is drawing many comparisons to the paparazzi chase in Paris that ultimately lead to Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana’s, death. Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed were both killed in the fatal crash in 1997.
https://twitter.com/BejeweledAmala/status/1658869886674763776?s=20
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In addition to the relentless chase, several photographers heckled Markle with inappropriate remarks. One asked the Duchess how it felt being a part of “two broken families.” Markle’s parents are divorced, and the Sussexes famously departed the U.K. after years of racially motivated harassment.
https://twitter.com/jomilleweb/status/1658627928026935297?s=20
Online Reactions
Many are calling for tighter restrictions on the paparazzi, as their relentless chases often have deadly consequences for their prey.
I think I’ve seen this film before and I didn’t like the ending
— ℝ𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕝𝕝✰❤️🔥 (@ramallszn) May 17, 2023
Others argue that British royal titles are at the root of these problems. The British throne has existed for centuries, though the U.K. Prime Minister has long handled political decisions.
https://twitter.com/aekazito/status/1658866536252145673?s=20
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A representative for Prince Harry is yet to speak on the chase.
