How the Harry and Meghan car chase played out - according to those involved

ITV News' Dan Rivers report on the car chase - and its fallout

Harry, Meghan, and her mother, were "relentlessly pursued" by paparazzi through the streets of New York on Tuesday night, according to the Sussexes' spokesperson.

The incident was described as "near catastrophic" by the spokesperson, and comparisons were drawn with the car crash that killed Harry's mother Princess Diana in 1997.

But while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's spokesperson criticised "highly aggressive paparazzi" and claimed there were multiple near misses at the scene, others involved have tried to play down the night's events.

Since Wednesday night, New York police, Harry and Meghan's taxi driver and a photographer involved in the chase have all told their sides of the story.

Here is everyone's account of the incident so far.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

Meghan, Harry and her mother Doria Ragland in the moments before the incident. Credit: AP

The Sussex's spokesperson said on Wednesday: “Last night, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms Ragland [Doria 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.

"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 paparazzi

A photographer who said he was involved in the car chase with Harry and Meghan speaks to GMB’s Chief Correspondent Richard Gaisford. Credit: Good Morning Britain

Talking to ITV's Good Morning Britain from New York, the photographer - who wanted to remain anonymous - said: “Last night after leaving the theatre, there were hopes from me and a few other photographers that maybe they would go to a restaurant.

“For the most part, I was driving and it was very tense trying to keep up with the vehicles. They did a lot of blocking and there was a lot of different type of manoeuvres to stop what was happening.

"Their driver was making it a catastrophic experience…  if they were going 80mph, I would probably have been going 20mph behind them and hoping to keep sight of them. So if it was dangerous and catastrophic, it was more than likely based on the person that was driving versus anyone else.

“The driver wanted to drive fast, cut through lanes and do this and do that, go the wrong way, I had no control over any of that. It was too much. I don’t like the idea of high speed chases - going from across town to this town.”

The taxi driver

Sukhcharn Singh, the taxi driver, spoke out after the incident.

“I was crossing on 67th Street, and then the security guard hailed me, and next thing you know Prince Harry and his wife were hopping into my cab," Mr Singh said.

Asked what he thought of the description of the incident as "near catastrophic" he said: "Oh I don’t think that’s true. I think that’s all exaggerated and stuff like that.

"So don't read too much into that, you know."

Harry and Meghan's security

A member of the couple’s security team, Chris Sanchez, 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 New York Police Department

In a statement, New York Police Department said: “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.”

The Mayor of New York

New York's mayor, Eric Adams, says asylum seekers will cost the city $12 billion (about £9.5 billion). Credit: AP

New York City Mayor Eric Adams told reporters he hadn’t received a full briefing about the incident yet, but he called it “reckless and irresponsible” for anyone to be chasing people in vehicles in the densely populated city.

He added that “two of our [police] officers could have been injured”.

Mr Adams also said: "I don't think there's many of us that don't recall how his mum died, and it would be horrific to lose an innocent bystander during a chase like this and for something to have happened to them as well."

A timeline of the evening

  • Harry, Meghan and Ms Ragland attended the Ms. Foundation for Women’s annual gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan on Tuesday. Meghan was presented the Women of Vision Award.

  • The group got into an SUV as crowds of pedestrians and photographers watched, according social media posts.

  • Harry and Meghan's vehicle was then followed by photographers.

  • Police got involved and led them to a police station about a mile from the ballroom.

  • The couple spent several minutes at the police station, waiting for the situation to de-escalate.

  • They leave in a taxi - Sukhcharn Singh, the cab driver, said one of the couple’s private security guards flagged him down as he drove on 67th Street near the police station.

  • The royals were about to give their destination when a bin lorry blocked their path, Mr Singh said. Instead, he was told to circle back to the police station.

  • The couple got stuck in traffic while a few blocks away from the ballroom. Photographers recorded them through the windows. The cab was being escorted by NYPD vehicles with flashing lights, according to a video posted by TMZ.

  • It is understood Harry and Meghan are staying at a property owned by friends in New York

Listen to our royal podcast, the Royal Rota