KEY POINTS
- The Sussexes’ paparazzi chase incident received mixed responses after various accounts were reported
- Some netizens felt that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were exaggerating and desperate for attention
- Others questioned the photographer’s account since they were responsible for the incident in the first place
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s paparazzi car chase received mixed reactions from the netizens.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a statement Wednesday about the paparazzi car chase Tuesday night after they attended the Women of Vision Awards, where Markle was among the honorees. According to Prince Harry and Markle’s rep, it was a “near catastrophic” incident that lasted for over two hours.
However, a photographer present at the incident told People that the Sussexes’ account was “crazy hyperbole.” The cab driver that also drove Prince Harry and Markle told The Washington Post that he wouldn’t call it a chase, and he never felt he was in danger.
The different accounts of the incident received mixed reactions from the netizens. Some seemingly slammed the Sussexes.
“If it was that bad, they would have stopped their car. They are so desperate for attention,” one commented. Another responded, “They did stop the car, they went to the police station, change[d] into a taxi to try to lose them, and then went back to their car.”
“So the Hs were exaggerating…and People, you are reporting it as such. Shocking,” a third person wrote.
“They’re in the business of creating sensationalism now, and it’s always about Princess Diana’s death,” a different commenter claimed.
“Oh well, guess they aren’t safe here in the U.S., so the smart thing is to go back to England. Buh bye !!!” another user said.
Meanwhile, many also defended the Sussexes. For them, the photographer’s account is not reliable because the paparazzi were the ones who chased after the royal couple.
“Also, the ‘witnesses’ People are citing were PHOTOGRAPHERS. The cabbie ran to Piers Morgan and even he, while downplaying danger, describes a long pursuit and surprise photographers and ‘craziness,'” one wrote.
“‘Witnesses’ is doing some heavy lifting here. Those same ‘witnesses’ were the same photographers relentlessly pursuing them per your own article,” another added.
“Witnesses my a–. It’s the paparazzi doing the chasing. That’s like talking to an abuser after they’ve tried to kill the victim. People, you are nothing but a royalty-loving s–tshow,” another commenter opined.
The NYPD also released a statement to People about the incident, confirming that they assisted Prince Harry and Markle’s security team since the paparazzi made their travel challenging. However, they also clarified that there were no collisions or injuries during the pursuit.
“The NYPD assisted the private security team protecting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. There were numerous photographers that made their transport challenging,” the statement said. “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination, and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard.”
