The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were involved in a “near catastrophic” car chase while being followed by paparazzi in New York, the couple’s spokesperson said. They were in the city on Tuesday with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, for an event at which the duchess received an award. The three of them are said to have been subjected to a “relentless pursuit” involving half a dozen blacked out vehicles. In a statement on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said: “Last night, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi. “This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD 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. “Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all in involved.”