Backgrid USA, the agency whose photographers were involved in the “near-catastrophic car chase” as described by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s representatives on Tuesday night in New York, has pushed back on the narratives being pushed by the former royal pair.

According to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the chase ensued after they attended the 2023 Women of Vision ceremony with Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, where the ‘Suits’ alum received an award from Gloria Steinem. The trio were making their way back in an SUV around 10 p.m. when they were immediately followed by about 12 photographers.

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“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,” a rep for the Sussexes added in a statement to Page Six. “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.”

What is Backgrid USA?

According to Backgrid’s website, they are “a global premier celebrity news agency. We supply the world’s top news outlets with real-time content from the world’s top photographers.” They are present in 60 countries across the world

“Our state-of-the-art system gives you access to fresh, relevant material from around the world just minutes after they are conceived,” they mentioned on their website.

The USA leg of the agency has defended itself against the narrative put out by Harry and Meghan.

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“According to the photographers present, there were no near-collisions or near-crashes during this incident,” Backgrid USA said in a statement to ‘Entertainment Tonight’ Wednesday. “The photographers have reported feeling that the couple was not in immediate danger at any point.”

They mentioned that during the said incident, four freelance photographers were present in three in cars and one on a bicycle. The goal was to cover the trio as there was a possibility that they were headed out to dinner after the awards ceremony.

“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 agency noted. It also added that it values “transparency and ethics” in journalism. This includes “providing fair and factual responses to claims.”

Nevertheless, the company said it will continue to look into the incident. “We do 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,” Backgrid concluded its statement.