Cab Driver Reacts To Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's "Near Catastrophic" Chase With Paparazzi: "It's All Exaggerated!"

The car accident that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle almost involved in was "not near catastrophic", their taxi driver has claimed.

The couple — who had attended the Ms Foundation for Women's annual gala in New York on Tuesday (May 16) — was in a car with Markle's mother Doria Ragland after the event as they were allegedly being followed by paparazzi when they were ushered into a street cab amid the supposed chase that had been described as "near-catastrophic".

But the driver, Sonny Singh, 37, offered a different take on the incident. 

Speaking to The Washington Post, Singh said: "The security guard hailed me and next thing you know, Prince Harry and his wife were hopping into my cab. As we went up the block, we got blocked by a garbage truck and all of a sudden paparazzi came and started taking pictures.

"They were just about to give me the location of where they were going to go but then they told me to circle back to the precinct, so we had to circle back to the precinct. They were nice people, they looked nervous, I think they had been chased the whole day or something so they were nervous.

"But the security guard was on it. I don't think it is true [that it was near-catastrophic], I think that's all exaggerated so don't read too much into that. New York is the safest place to be, right? There are police stations and cops on every corner so there's nothing to be afraid of."

The paparazzi company at the centre of the alleged "near catastrophic" car chase has also issued a statement.

"We are aware of Prince Harry's statement regarding an alleged "near catastrophic car chase" involving himself, Meghan Markle, and her mother, in New York City on Tuesday night," said Backgrid USA Inc (via 9news.com).

"We want to clarify that we have received photos and videos of last night's events from four freelance photographers, three of whom were in cars and one of whom was riding a bicycle.

"It is important to note that these photographers have a professional responsibility to cover newsworthy events and personalities, including public figures such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle."

It added, "According to the accounts given by these freelance contributors, a few of the photos even show Meghan Markle smiling inside a cab".

If anything, it was the couple's own security that posed a danger, Backgrid USA said. They claimed "one of the four SUVs" in the Sussexes' team was "driving in a manner that could be perceived as reckless".

"The vehicle was seen blocking off streets, and in one video, it is shown being pulled over by the police," Backgrid USA said.

Following the alleged crash, a representative for Harry — whose mother Princess Diana was killed in a car accident in 1997 at the age of 36 — alleged that the "relentless pursuit" of the royal couple had resulted in "near collisions" involving a slew of other drivers and pedestrians.

The rep said: "This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians, and two NYPD (New York Police Department) officers."

They added: "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 involved."

What's more, the NYPD has released a statement in which they claim that "no arrests" have been made following the incident, nor was anyone at the scene injured.

In a statement, police said: "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."

— BANG SHOWBIZ

Photo: TPG News/Click Photos

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