Prince William and Meghan Markle were involved in what their spokesperson described as a “near catastrophic car chase” with the paparazzi in New York City on Tuesday night, and while witnesses seem to have differing versions of events, what is clear is that the couple was extremely frightened.
The royals have yet to speak out with a statement of support for the Sussexes (other than to tell Us Weekly they won’t be giving one), but according to the Daily Beast, “Friends of the British royal family have mocked Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s account.”
One friend was in particular was asked if Prince William and Kate Middleton would privately be on Harry and Meghan’s side (despite their lack of publicstatement), and in response said, “William and Catherine have put up with shit like this in the past. Everyone understands his anger at the photographers, but making hysterical statements doesn’t help matters, especially when, as the queen might have said, recollections may vary.”
The friend also added that “I thought they were leaving the royal family for a quieter life. If flashbulbs give Harry flashbacks, I don’t understand why he is going to award ceremonies.”
There has been tension between William and Harry for years now, culminating in an alleged physical fight that Harry detailed in his memoir Spare.
Notably, a friend of King Charles III‘s also spoke to the Daily Beast about the car chase this week and said, “Charles will completely understand Harry being upset at being pursued by the paparazzi. He knows how scary it can be. But he has always tried to get Harry to understand that complaining about photographers or the media is pointless. It just makes it all worse.”
As a reminder, this is the statement Harry and Meghan’s spokesperson released on the morning after the chase:
“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 (New York Police Department) 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 which is dangerous to all involved.”
Prince William’s Friends Called Prince Harry’s Reaction to His Car Chase “Hysterical” Prince William’s Friends Called Prince Harry’s Reaction to His Car Chase “Hysterical”