The Lens: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chased by paparazzi in New York, nearly involved in ‘catastrophic’ crash, spokesperson says

Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle and her mother were involved in a “near catastrophic car chase” involving paparazzi, a spokesperson for the couple said.

The incident occurred after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended an awards ceremony in New York last Tuesday. The couple’s spokesperson said the “relentless pursuit” lasted more than two hours and resulted in “multiple near collisions”.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) did not report any arrests or injuries. However, the NYPD confirmed an incident took place involving Harry and Meghan and said that numerous photographers “made their transport challenging”.

Entertainment agency Backgrid issued a statement saying it was investigating the conduct of several freelance photographers, but their initial account of events differed from that of the Sussexes.

“The photographers reported feeling that the couple was not in immediate danger at any point,” Backgrid said.

The statement followed claims that the chase involved half a dozen cars and reckless driving, including going through red lights, driving on the pavement, and reversing down a one-way street – as well as taking photographs while driving.

The couple and Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, tried to take shelter from the paparazzi by going to a Manhattan police station.

Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, was killed in a 1997 car crash in Paris while being chased by photographers. In an interview with the BBC, Prince Harry referred to the paparazzi as “a pack of dogs” who constantly hounded his mother.

“Every single time she went out, there’d be a pack of people waiting for her,” he said. “I mean, a pack of dogs followed her ... called her names, spat at her, trying to get a reaction, to get that photograph of her lashing out.”

BBC

• How do you feel about the paparazzi’s actions? Were they ethical?

• How does this incident reflect on the privacy and protection of famous people?

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Serene Chan, Leweston School (UK)

Elon Musk, the well-known entrepreneur and visionary behind enterprises like Tesla and SpaceX, has been Twitter’s CEO since he bought the company last year.

Musk’s role prompted some enthusiasm owing to his track record at Tesla. However, his active participation on the platform attracted a lot of media attention, and his uncensored and often provocative viewpoints drew scrutiny and thrust Twitter into the centre of attention.

What’s more, many were worried about his erratic behaviour and tweets, which sometimes contained misinformation.

Some of Musk’s tweets even affected the stock market, raising concerns about the ethical implications of his online presence. In light of his multiple leadership roles across several corporations, there were also questions regarding possible conflicts of interest.

While his unfettered and vigorous attitude undoubtedly put a spotlight on the platform, it also raised concerns about whether he was suited to run the company. Those who asked Musk to resign noted the need for an authority figure who could run Twitter with integrity and accountability and frequently questioned whether he was the right fit for the role.

Although Musk’s era as the CEO of Twitter is ending, he still holds a stake in future of the platform, and his tenure has undoubtedly had a ripple effect due to the amount of media coverage that his larger-than-life persona and controversial tweets have garnered.

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