The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were in a cab in New York City for around 10 minutes on Tuesday night as they attempted to elude paparazzi. The cabbie stated the couple was visibly tense throughout the short trip.
Sonny, also known as Sukhcharn Singh, told the BBC that he picked them up from a neighborhood police station in Midtown Manhattan.
A “relentless pursuit” that lasted for more than two hours, according to a statement from Harry and Meghan’s spokeswoman.
However, Mr. Singh, who saw a portion of the action, did not describe his trip as a perilous paparazzi pursuit.
Speaking to reporters while wearing a navy blue shirt outside his family’s Queens home, Mr. Singh described the experience.
The security guard hailed me as I was on 67th Street. Prince Harry and his bride were getting into my cab the very next moment,” he added.
“A garbage truck blocked us, and then all of a sudden, the paparazzi showed up and started taking pictures.”
The security guard called for a return to the police station just as Harry and Meghan were ready to reveal their final destination.
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They were tense, and Mr. Singh speculated that they had been pursued all day. They were rather anxious, but the security guy was on the case.
The spokeswoman for Harry and Meghan claimed in a statement that they were involved in a “near-catastrophic car chase” on Tuesday.
While confirming an incident, New York police stated that the large number of photographers “made their transport challenging” and that no collisions or injuries were reported.
It was apparently “very tense” for one of the paparazzi drivers to try to keep up with their automobile during the car pursuit.
The driver, who requested anonymity, said on Thursday on ITV’s Good Morning Britain that “they did a lot of blocking and there was a lot of different types of manoeuvres to stop what was happening.”
“If it was hazardous and catastrophic, it was probably due to the person who was driving,” he continued.
Photographers “three of whom were in cars and one of whom was riding a bicycle” were credited by photo agency Backgrid USA with providing images of the event.
According to the photographers, “there were no near-collisions or near-crashes during this incident,” but the agency said it took Prince Harry’s concerns seriously and will launch its own inquiry.
The agency continued, “It is significant to remember that these photographers have a professional obligation to cover noteworthy events and individuals, especially public icons like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Along with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, the couple was in New York for the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards presentation.
The spokesperson claimed that after departing, they attempted to flee the paparazzi by traveling to a Manhattan police station, where Mr. Singh later picked them up.
He didn’t think they were in danger, at least not for the few minutes they were in Mr. Singh’s automobile.
“I don’t believe that to be accurate; I believe all of that to be overblown and other such things.
Don’t take that comment too seriously, Mr. Singh advised. Later on, he said, “That must have happened before” they stepped into his taxi.
He said, “The safest place to be is in New York City. There is no need to be terrified in New York because there are police stations and officers everywhere.
When he was there, the paparazzi weren’t particularly hostile. “They were behind us. I mean, they stayed on top of us, that was pretty much it, it was nothing more. They kept their distance.”
Harry and Meghan were characterized as “nice people” by Mr. Singh.
They greeted him and asked his name at the conclusion of the journey, Mr. Singh remembered. The security guard paid the driver and gave him a tip when his passengers got off.
It was fantastic. $50 for a ten-minute drive, he added. “What more do you need? That is unbeatable.
Was Mr. Singh impressed by his illustrious guests? Not especially.
In my cab, I’ve also picked up Keith Richards, Mr. Singh claimed. “I frequently pick up celebs. Even I didn’t give it much thought when they entered.
After briefly conversing with the media, Mr. Singh got back in his yellow taxi and headed to Midtown to begin another exhausting day of passenger transportation.