Photo agency behind Meghan, Harry’s alleged ‘near-catastrophic car chase’ speaks out

Photo agency Backgrid USA has responded to claims that photographers were aggressively pursuing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during their so-called “near catastrophic” paparazzi car chase through Manhattan Tuesday night.

Harry, 38, and Markle, 41, left the Ziegfeld Theater in Midtown with Markle’s mother around 9:50 p.m. following an event that night.

The trio were tailed by paparazzi who were unable to get any shots of the famous couple as they left the venue.

Soon after, a representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex claimed they “were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi.”

But the company has now spoken out against the claims, saying its snappers “had no intention of causing any distress or harm, as their only tool was their cameras.”

“At Backgrid USA Inc., we value transparency and ethics in journalism, which include providing fair and factual responses to claims,” the company said in a statement to ET. “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.”

“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,” the statement continued.

“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.”

The freelance photographers that were hired to cover the event alleged that “one of the four SUVs from Prince Harry’s security escort was 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 then seemingly denied the duke’s claims of aggressive paparazzi, saying that “according to the photographers present, there were no near-collisions or near-crashes during this incident.”

“The photographers have reported feeling that the couple was not in immediate danger at any point,” the statement added.

The photo agency ended its statement by saying it will be looking “into the matter,” saying that it does not “condone any form of harassment or illegal activity.”

“We are taking Prince Harry’s allegations seriously and will be conducting a thorough investigation into the matter,” the statement concluded.

On Wednesday, law enforcement sources described a much less dramatic ordeal, saying the chase only lasted about one hour as the family switched to a yellow cab to try to get the paps off their trail.

A private security car and an NYPD vehicle accompanied the trio’s vehicle as a “significant” press presence followed, sources said.

There were no 911 calls or collision reports made related to the case, the NYPD said.

The royals were reportedly trying to call it a night and head to the private Upper East Side residence where they were staying without revealing the location to the press and paparazzi.