(CNN) — A member of the security team protecting Prince Harry and his wife Meghan recounted a “chaotic” chase in New York with paparazzi on Tuesday, saying it could have ended in fatalities.
Exclusively with CNN, Chris Sánchez said the Sussexes were hounded by photographers after leaving the “Women of Vision” awards at the city’s Ziegfeld Ballroom. In the end, no one was hurt and the couple arrived safely, albeit shaken, at the apartment where they were staying, he said.
“I had never seen or experienced anything like it. What we found was very chaotic. There were about a dozen vehicles: cars, scooters and bicycles,” Sánchez told CNN’s Max Foster.
“The public was in danger at various points. It could have been fatal. They jumped curbs and red lights. At one point they blocked the limousine (in which the couple was traveling) and began to take photos until we could get out, “he added. .
Police said the incident was “complicated” but there were no collisions and no one was injured.
Sanchez said he “was worried about them (Prince Harry and Meghan), but more about the public because they (the paparazzi) were being so erratic. People were on the sidewalks and crossing the streets and the paparazzi were running through traffic lights in red. We did everything to the letter.”
Harry and Meghan switched cars during the chase, Sanchez said.
Following the incident, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “were scared, exhausted, but relieved to be back,” he added.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) said it had assisted the Sussexes’ private security team on Tuesday night and that “there were numerous photographers who made their transportation challenging.”
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arrived at their destination and there have been no reported collisions, citations, injuries or arrests,” said Julian Phillips, NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Public Information.
Prince Harry and Meghan say they were followed by photographers for two hours after leaving an event in New York.
Prince Harry has been outspoken about his family’s safety, often comparing his wife’s treatment to that of his mother, Diana.
The couple’s spokesman said that while “being a public figure carries a level of public interest, it should never come at the cost of anyone’s safety” and asked the media not to publish photos of the incident.
A local law enforcement source corroborated part of the couple’s account, telling CNN that they were followed by a “swarm” of paparazzi on Tuesday.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams called the incident “reckless” and “irresponsible.”
Buckingham Palace told CNN on Wednesday that it would not comment on the incident.
— CNN’s John Miller and Lauren Said-Moorhouse contributed to this report.
