Photo agency bluntly rejects Harry and Meghan's ‘demand’ to surrender car chase footage
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle faced blunt rejection from a US photo agency after they demanded footage of their alleged "near catastrophic" paparazzi car chase.
Backgrid USA, a reputed photo agency, reportedly refused to comply with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's demands. The former royal couple wanted the agency to hand over all footage and pictures from the alleged car chase Tuesday night, May 16. The company said it “had no intention of causing any distress or harm” after sending four photographers, three cars, and a bike to capture footage of the couple as they left the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards in Manhattan. The controversial duo was accompanied by Meghan's mother Doria Ragland.
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As reported by TMZ, Harry and Meghan claimed they needed the photos and footage to improve their security. “We hereby demand that Backgrid immediately provide us with copies of all photos, videos, and/or films taken last night by the freelance photographers after the couple left their event and over the next several hours,” their lawyers wrote in a letter to the agency.
However, Backgrid swiftly rejected the couple saying they don't have the right to demand copyrighted material, especially in the US. “In America, as I’m sure you know, property belongs to the owner of it: Third parties cannot just demand it be given to them, as perhaps Kings can do," the agency said in response. "Perhaps you should sit down with your client and advise them that his English rules of royal prerogative to demand that the citizenry hand over their property to the Crown were rejected by this country long ago. We stand by our founding fathers.”
It's worth noting that Backgrid also previously denied the royals' claims. “According to the photographers present, there were no near-collisions or near-crashes during this incident,” the agency told Page Six in a statement on Wednesday, May 17. “The photographers have reported feeling that the couple was not in immediate danger at any point.”
ÚLTIMA HORA | Príncipe Harry, Meghan y su madre involucrados en una «persecución de autos casi catastrófica»: La cadena TMZ revela imágenes previo al incidente (Detalles) https://t.co/3g8eiixjsO pic.twitter.com/jlgvMQFQ87
— AlbertoRodNews (@AlbertoRodNews) May 17, 2023
Backgrid also vehemently denied claims that Harry and Meghan were chased by “highly aggressive paparazzi,” saying its hired photographers had no intention of “causing any distress or harm, as their only tool was their cameras.” The agency added, “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,” insisting that it values “transparency and ethics” in journalism, including “providing fair and factual responses to claims.”
There are now 3 Contradictory statements regarding Harry & Meghan alleged car chase.🏎️📸
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) May 17, 2023
▪️1) Meghan & Harry Spokesperson describing it as a “near catastrophic chase…with multiple collisions.”
▪️2) NYPD saying “there were no reported collisions.”
▪️3) The driver of the taxi… pic.twitter.com/Y1TDaGthwg
What exactly transpired on Tuesday night remains a mystery. Harry and Meghan described it as a “near catastrophic car chase” that lasted more than two hours and featured “multiple near collisions.” However, according to the New York Police Department, the Sussexes "arrived at their destination and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard." Meanwhile, Sukhcharn “Sonny” Singh, a taxi driver who was allegedly involved in the chase, suggested that the royals' account had been exaggerated, according to Deadline.
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