Prince Harry & Meghan Markle demand Paparazzi images over car chase, photo agency refuses

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, have reportedly demanded that celebrity photo agency Backgrid hand over images taken during what they described as a "near-catastrophic" encounter with aggressive paparazzi. However, the California-based agency has rejected their request, leading to a dispute between the royal couple and the photo agency.

According to a report from the Guardian, the incident occurred on Tuesday in New York City, following an awards ceremony attended by the couple and Meghan's mother. The Duke and Duchess claim that they were pursued by a "ring of highly aggressive paparazzi," drawing comparisons to the tragic death of Princess Diana in 1997, who was killed in a car crash while being chased by photographers in Paris.

Photo agency rejects the demand

Backgrid confirmed that they received a letter from the Sussexes' legal team, demanding the immediate provision of all photos, videos, and films taken by freelance photographers after the couple left their event and in the subsequent hours. However, the photo agency has responded by stating that property rights in America do not allow third parties to demand the handover of images without proper authorisation.

"In America, as I'm sure you know, property belongs to the owner of it: third parties cannot just demand it be given to them, as perhaps kings can do. Perhaps you should sit down with your client and advise them that his English rules of royal prerogative to demand that the citizenry hand over their property to the crown were rejected by this country long ago. We stand by our founding fathers," Backgrid stated in its response to the Sussexes' legal team.

Were the Sussexes lying?

The account of the incident provided by Harry and Meghan has been disputed, with the police stating that there were no reported collisions, injuries, or arrests. Backgrid has also denied the allegations of aggressive behavior by the paparazzi and suggested that the couple's vehicle was driven erratically. Additionally, a taxi driver briefly involved in the incident has cast doubt on the statement made by the Duke and Duchess.