The paparazzi company at the centre of the alleged "near catastrophic" car chase involving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has responded to accusations photographers aggressively pursued the couple.
Claiming that the four freelance photographers present during the ordeal "had no intention of causing any distress or harm" to the former senior royals, Backgrid USA Inc. said "there were no near-collisions or near-crashes during the incident".
The statement is at odds with words from a spokesperson for the Sussexes, who described the photographers as "highly aggressive" and said the pursuit lasted more than two hours on Tuesday night.
READ MORE: Qantas offering 'neighbour-free' travel – for a price
"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," Backgrid USA Inc said.
"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."
"According to the accounts given by these freelance contributors," the statement went on, "a few of the photos even show Meghan Markle smiling inside a cab".
The statement then pointed the finger at the Sussexes' own security, accusing "one of the four SUVs" from Harry's camp of "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.
"We understand that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's security detail had a job to do… We do, however, want to point out that according to the photographers present, there were no near-collisions or near-crashes during this incident."
Meanwhile, another video later posted by TMZ, showed the couple in a yellow New York City cab, stuck in traffic several blocks away from their destination, as photographers recorded them through the windows.
The taxi was being escorted by NYPD vehicles with flashing lights.
Taxi driver, Sukhcharn Singh, told The Washington Post he drove "Harry, Meghan, an older Black woman and one security guard" for a brief period, believed to be about 10 minutes.
His yellow cab was waved down outside NYPD's 19th precinct, where the couple had gone to try and lose the photographers.
However, the driver said he never felt unsafe during the short drive during which they were followed by two cars.
"I don't think I would call it a chase," Singh told the publication.
"I never felt like I was in danger. It wasn't like a car chase in a movie. They were quiet and seemed scared but it's New York — it's safe."
Also weighing in on the matter, The New York Police Department released a short statement, calling the incident a "transport challenge" but there were "no reported collisions".
"The NYPD assisted the private security team protecting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex," they said.
"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."
The duke and duchess' spokesperson said the chase included "multiple near collisions" with other drivers, pedestrians and two 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," the spokesperson said, in a statement.
"Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all in involved."
Harry's mother, Princess Diana, died in a car crash as she was chased by paparazzi in Paris in 1997.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams told reporters he hadn't received a full briefing about the incident yet but called it "reckless and irresponsible", saying "two of our officers could have been injured".
"You shouldn't be speeding anywhere, but this is a densely populated city, and I think all of us, I don't think there's many of us who don't recall how his mum died," Adams told reporters when asked about the incident at an unrelated briefing.
A member of the Sussexes' security team, Chris Sanchez, described the incident as "chaotic" in an interview with CNN's Max Foster.
"I have never seen, experienced anything like this," he said.
"What we were dealing with was very chaotic. There were about a dozen vehicles: cars, scooters and bicycles."
He said the couple were scared but relieved when they returned to the apartment where they were staying, which is understood to be a friend's private residence.
"The public were in jeopardy at several points. It could have been fatal," Sachez said.
Video taken by bystanders and posted on social media showed Harry and Meghan exiting Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom and getting into an SUV as crowds of pedestrians and photographers gawked.
Meghan and Harry had attended the Ms Foundation's Women in Vision Awards in New York City on Tuesday, the duchess's first public outing since the coronation of King Charles.
Harry flew to England briefly to attend his father's crowning but Meghan stayed home in California with the couple's two children with the royal event the same day as son Prince Archie's fourth birthday.
Former royal protection officer Simon Morgan said two hours was a long time for such an incident to continue without any sort of intervention.
"I think it's an alarming development from the security perspective and certainly when we look back in history concerning the duke's mother, and we know the way that that tragedy unfolded," he told Sky News.
"So I think it's going to be extremely alarming and distressing for them.
"But I think there's going to have to be an investigation, maybe from NYPD as to what support mechanisms their security team was able to draw upon."
READ MORE: Police chase allegedly stolen car before it repeatedly crashed in Sydney's west
Security for Harry and Meghan has been an issue since the British government stripped them of protection when they moved to California in 2020 and it figures in three of his legal cases against the government and tabloid press.
The chase occurred the same day a lawyer for Harry argued in a London court that he should be able to challenge a government decision denying him the right to pay police for his own security in the UK.
Harry has argued his safety was "compromised due to the absence of police protection" during a short visit to the UK in July 2021, when his car was chased by photographers as he left a charity event.
The couple have said they funded their own security after former US President Donald Trump said the US government wouldn't pay to protect them.
The Duchess of Sussex had accepted the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Award with Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown
The gala kicked off the foundation's largest fundraising campaign ever — $US100 million ($150 million) over the next 12 months — that will be used to further the organisation's equity-centred initiatives and its mission of advancing women's collective power.
With her mother in the audience, Meghan recounted how Ms Magazine was always in their house and how it affected her world view.
"I am a woman who remains inspired and driven by this organisation," she said, looking over at Ms Foundation co-founder Gloria Steinem.
"It allowed me to recognise that part of my greater value and purpose in life was to advocate for those who felt unheard, to stand up to injustice, and to not be afraid of saying what is true and what is just and what is right."
Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.
