While visiting New York to attend the Women of Vision Awards, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and his mother Doria Ragland were allegedly chased by paparazzi. This Friday 19 May, the tabloid Page Six revealed what could be the real reason for this “chase”.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are caught in a new media storm. While in New York to attend the Women of Vision Awards, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and his mother Doria Ragland were reportedly chased by paparazzi hired by the Backgrid agency to capture the best shots for the tabloids. The couple’s spokesperson described the scene as one worthy of an action movie, and said the outcome of the “more than two-hour chase” could have been catastrophic. On Friday 19 May, online media outlet Page Six revealed what may have been the real cause of the unpleasant end to the evening. Meghan and Harry are said to be “too cheap”.
While they were supposed to stay at The Carlyle – Princess Diana’s favourite hotel – the Sussex couple finally changed their minds. According to a police source, the hotel management refused to lower the price of the room at Harry and Meghan’s request. This would have led them to finally stay with a friend on the Upper East Side. So in reality, if the prince and the former actress were touring for more than two hours in a taxi and then in a car with their security detail, it would have been to avoid journalists knowing that they didn’t have a prestigious place to stay after all. To this assumption, the anonymous source added: “They should have found a hotel for everyone’s safety. Instead, they were cheap and preferred a free place to stay.”
Harry v Backgrid
As early as May 17, the couple’s spokesperson assured them that “this relentless pursuit, which lasted over two hours, resulted in multiple near misses involving other drivers on the road, as well as pedestrians and two NYPD officers. Yet statements from the police, the Backgrid agency, and their own cabbie all contradict this rogue testimony.
And if the Sussexes demanded that the photography agency return all the photos and videos they had taken, the agency replied through their lawyer: “In America, as you must know, property belongs to its owner: third parties cannot demand that it be provided to them, as kings can. He added: “These English royal prerogatives, whereby citizens are asked to give their property to the Crown, were rejected by this country long ago. We remain true to our Founding Fathers.” In other words, the die is cast.
Crédits photos : Backgrid USA / Bestimage