Royals vs. Paparazzi: a historic tale of love and hate
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle involved in "near catastrophic" car chase with paparazzi in New York
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LIFESTYLE British royal family
When you're a member of the British royal family, dealing with the paparazzi is just another royal chore! That is, until things go too far. For Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, this has certainly played a big role in their stepping down from royal duties. But the media frenzy is far from over.
The evening of May 16, 2023, started out as a joyous occasion for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Markle was honored with the Women of Vision Award by the Ms. Foundation for Women in New York, presented to her by feminist legend Gloria Steinem. However, when she left the venue by car with her husband, Prince Harry, and her mother, Doria Ragland, they were reportedly chased by the paparazzi for over two hours.
A statement from the couple's spokesperson on May 17 claimed that the relentless and reckless pursuit of their car nearly caused collisions with other drivers, pedestrians, and police officers. They described the event as "near catastrophic" and condemned the disregard for public safety. "Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all in involved," the statement read.
This was the royal couple's first official outing since King Charles' coronation earlier in May. It was doubtless a devastating return to the public eye. The similarity between their terrifying ordeal and the night of Princess Diana's untimely death is chillingly apparent. Harry's mother was killed in a car accident while being chased by paparazzi through the streets of Paris on August 31, 1997. She was 36 years old at the time—two years younger than Harry is now.
To discover more about the long-lasting love-hate relationship between the royals and the paparazzi, click through the gallery.
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