It’s the kind of headline that stops you mid-scroll. When the news first broke that Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Doria Ragland were involved in a "near catastrophic" car chase through the streets of Manhattan, the collective gasp was audible. For anyone who knows anything about royal history, the parallels to the 1997 tragedy in Paris are impossible to ignore. It felt like a glitch in the matrix.
But as the dust settled on the 2023 incident, the story got... messy. Honestly, it turned into a "he-said, she-said" battle between the Sussexes' spokesperson, the NYPD, and a very confused yellow cab driver.
The Night Everything Went Sideways
The date was May 16, 2023. The setting: New York City. The Duke and Duchess were leaving the Ms. Foundation for Women’s 2023 Women of Vision Awards at the Ziegfeld Ballroom. Meghan had just been honored. Everyone was on a high.
Then came the photographers.
According to a statement from the couple's spokesperson, what followed was a "relentless pursuit" that lasted over two hours. They described a scene where half a dozen blacked-out vehicles chased them, running red lights, driving on sidewalks, and even reversing down one-way streets. It sounds like a Jason Bourne movie, right? Except this was Midtown traffic.
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The "Near Catastrophic" Debate
Here is where things get kind of weird. The Sussexes used the term "near catastrophic." That’s a heavy phrase. It implies that if one thing had gone differently, we’d be looking at a very different news cycle today.
However, the NYPD’s initial response was much more "New York." They confirmed the transport was "challenging" but noted there were no collisions, injuries, or arrests. Mayor Eric Adams also chimed in. He admitted that even a 10-minute chase is dangerous in a city as dense as NYC, but he found a "two-hour high-speed chase" a bit hard to believe.
"I think that's all, you know, exaggerated," said Sukhcharn "Sunny" Singh, the taxi driver who briefly picked up the trio. "I never felt like I was in danger. It wasn't like a car chase in a movie."
Wait—a taxi? Yeah, in the middle of the chaos, the group actually ditched their private SUV and hopped into a standard yellow cab to try and lose the tail. Singh drove them for about 10 minutes before the security team decided they were too exposed and headed back to the 19th Precinct.
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New Evidence: Was Harry Right All Along?
For months, the internet mocked the couple. Memes about "high-speed chases in 5 mph traffic" were everywhere. But in early 2024, a new piece of the puzzle surfaced.
A letter from the NYPD’s Chief of Intelligence to the Metropolitan Police in London was made public. It turns out the police did find evidence of "reckless disregard" by the paparazzi. The letter stated that the behavior was "persistently dangerous" and that there was enough evidence to arrest two individuals for reckless endangerment.
So, while the "high speed" part might be debatable (it is Manhattan, after all), the prince harry car accident risk was real. The security detail had to take evasive actions and circuitous routes just to avoid being boxed in.
The Psychological Weight
You've got to consider the trauma here. Harry has been very vocal about his PTSD. In his memoir Spare, he talks about driving through the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris at the same speed his mother’s car was going. He’s spent his life looking for closure.
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When a group of guys on e-bikes and SUVs are swarming your car, your brain doesn't care if the speedometer says 20 or 80. The threat feels the same. Harry reportedly told friends the New York incident was the "closest I have ever felt" to understanding what happened to his mother.
What Most People Get Wrong
People love to take sides. You’re either "Team Sussex" or "Team Palace." Because of that, the facts of this incident got buried under bias.
- Misconception 1: It was a high-speed highway chase.
- Reality: It was a low-to-mid-speed pursuit through dense city blocks, but the danger came from erratic maneuvers (sidewalk driving, red-light running), not just raw speed.
- Misconception 2: The NYPD said nothing happened.
- Reality: The NYPD initially downplayed the "catastrophe" but later confirmed the paparazzi behavior was arrest-worthy and dangerous.
- Misconception 3: It was a PR stunt.
- Reality: The couple was actually staying at a private residence and didn't want the photographers to find the location. That’s why the "chase" lasted so long—they were essentially driving in circles to protect their hosts' privacy.
Why This Still Matters
This isn't just about one night in New York. It’s about the ongoing battle over royal security. Harry has been fighting the UK Home Office for years to get police protection when he’s on British soil.
Events like this are "Exhibit A" for his legal team. They argue that private security simply doesn't have the same authority or resources as state-funded police to manage "highly aggressive" situations. Whether you like him or not, the guy has a legitimate point: the hunger for a "money shot" can lead to some incredibly stupid decisions by photographers.
Lessons Learned for High-Profile Safety
- Avoid "The Circle": If you're being followed, don't keep driving in circles trying to "lose" them if it's not working. Head straight to a secure location like a police station immediately.
- The Cab Swap: While the taxi swap was a smart idea in theory to be "invisible," it lacked the armored protection and communication tools of the primary security vehicle.
- Documentation: Harry was seen filming the paparazzi on his phone. In 2026, digital evidence is your best friend. It was that footage and the NYPD's own cameras that eventually changed the narrative from "exaggeration" to "reckless endangerment."
If you find yourself following royal news or just care about the ethics of the paparazzi, keep an eye on the legal filings. This New York incident is still being cited in courtrooms today.
To stay informed, you should compare the original 2023 NYPD statements with the 2024 Chief of Intelligence letter. The shift in tone is a masterclass in how "official" stories evolve as more evidence comes to light.