Prince Harry says recent car chase 'closest I have ever felt' to understanding how Princess Diana died

Prince Harry has reportedly drawn a chilling parallel between his recent car chase in New York city and his mother Princess Diana's death, caused due to an accident while she was being chased by the paparazzi in 1997.

                                           File photo of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Prince Harry found himself recalling the tragic loss of his mother, Princess Diana, after experiencing what his spokesperson described as a “near catastrophic car chase” while being followed by paparazzi in New York City.

The Duke of Sussex, confided in friends, stating that the harrowing incident brought him closer than ever to comprehending the events surrounding his mother’s fatal car crash in Paris in 1997, when he was just 12 years old.

Prince Harry, in his memoir ‘Spare’, recounted his journey through the same tunnel where Princess Diana’s accident occurred a decade later, as an attempt to seek closure, the Times reported. Grieving the untimely loss of his mother at such a young age has remained a poignant theme throughout the book, which was released in January.

Senior police officer David Douglas, who played a role in Operation Paget, the British Metropolitan Police’s investigation into various conspiracy theories surrounding Princess Diana’s death in 2004, addressed the tragic incident in a 2022 interview. Douglas referred to her death as a “terrible, tragic accident”.

During an interview with host Ranvir Singh, Douglas discussed the combination of factors that contributed to the accident, including the absence of seatbelts, the pursuit by paparazzi, and the driver’s state of intoxication. He emphasised that accidents often involve a chain of events, and if any one of those events had been different, the outcome might have been altered. In this case, experts suggested that wearing seatbelts could have increased the chances of survival by 80%.

On Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed that Prince Harry, Meghan, and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, had encountered a “near catastrophic car chase” while being pursued by an aggressive group of paparazzi in New York City on Tuesday night.

The trio had been attending the Ms. Foundation’s Women of Vision Awards, where Meghan, aged 41, was being honoured. Prince Harry and Doria, aged 66, were surprise guests accompanying Meghan to the event.

The spokesperson’s statement emphasised the dangers associated with relentless pursuit by paparazzi, highlighting that the pursuit lasted over two hours and led to multiple close calls with other drivers, pedestrians, and even two NYPD officers. They stressed that while public figures inevitably attract public interest, it should never come at the expense of safety.

The NYPD confirmed their assistance to Prince Harry and Meghan’s security team on Wednesday, acknowledging the challenges posed by the paparazzi. The statement assured that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex safely reached their destination without any reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests.

Following the unsettling incident, a source close to Prince Harry and Meghan revealed that they were shaken but relieved that everyone emerged unharmed. The source emphasised the disturbing nature of the situation and expressed the couple’s gratitude for the well-being of all involved.

According to the source, after capturing Prince Harry and Meghan leaving the event, the photographers continued to pursue them, seemingly attempting to determine their place of residence. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by public figures and their need for privacy and safety.