Prince Harry was only twelve years old when his mother, Princess Diana, was killed alongside her lover Dodi Al Fayed in a car crash spurred on by a paparazzi car chase on August 31, 1997 at just 36 years old.
Just two years past his mother’s immortal age, Prince Harry had his own terrifying experience with paparazzi alongside his wife Megan Markle and mother-in-law Doria Ragland. Prince Harry disclosed to friends that the incident has left him feeling closer than ever to what his mother’s final moments must have been like that August night. The car chase began as the trio of Prince Harry, Duchess Markle and Ms. Ragland were traveling to a friend’s residence.
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a statement that said, “Last night, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms. 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.”
Buckingham Palace had no comment on the news regarding the car chase involving one of their own, Prince Harry. Prince Harry and Duchess Markle stepped away from their formal duties in 2020.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams denounced the behavior displayed by the paparazzi saying that a two hour high-speed was unlikely, even a ten minute car chase in New York City could have catastrophic implications as the city is densely packed with more pedestrians and traffic than an average small town.
Mayor Adams referenced Princess Diana as he spoke about the incident saying, “I don’t think there’s many of us who don’t recall how [Prince Harry’s] mom died.”
Sources:
People
https://people.com/royals/prince-harry-car-chase-told-friends-closest-felt-princess-diana-report/
https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-prince-harry-car-chase-buckingham-palace-no-comment/
https://people.com/crime/meghan-markle-prince-harry-car-chase-new-york-mayor-slams-paparazzi/
