According to Mediaite, Megyn Kelly, a former Fox News anchor and now a radio show host, has criticized Meghan Markle and Prince Harry for their claims of being followed by paparazzi for over two hours on the streets of New York City. The incident occurred after Markle received the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Award for her work in advocacy. Markle, Harry, and Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, were leaving the event when the paparazzi began following them, resulting in what the couple described as a “near-catastrophic” situation. She also exposed Meghan Markle for being a fraud.
Kelly, who has been a vocal critic of the couple, dismissed their claims, saying that it was just another “night in New York” for public figures. She called the incident “impossible,” noting that it would be difficult to have a two-hour car chase in Manhattan due to the heavy traffic and foot traffic.
Kelly also questioned the couple’s motives, suggesting that they might have been willing participants in the situation. She pointed out that there were many places to pull over and get to safety, which is what they claim they wanted.
This relentless pursuit, lasting over 2 hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and 2 NYPD officers,” their spokesperson said, calling the interaction “near-catastrophic.”
“Near-catastrophic. What does that mean? I mean, near-catastrophic is what we all have. Every time we look down to change the radio while we’re driving our cars or engage in the stupidity of checking a text or our phones while we’re driving, that’s near-catastrophic. It is. Anything could happen with anybody on the road around your car.
Well, sorry, you two. But you’re in America now and in America, the press has the right to photograph you when you are in a public place or on the streets or leaving a place like the Ziegfeld Theater. That’s the way it works here. And it’s not pleasant. I’ve been followed as well, but it’s part of life in this country where we still have freedom of the press. You don’t like it? Go back home for the love of God, please go back home. Harry, take your wife with you. I don’t know how we got saddled with you to begin with.
There is no way of having a two hour car chase in New York City in Manhattan. There just isn’t. There are too many stop signs. There are too many red lights, there is too much foot traffic, there is too much actual traffic and there’s just — it’s impossible to be in a car chase in this borough for two hours. So exactly how did that happen? It would’ve happened out of choice. The couple must have been willing participants to some extent,” Kelly said. “Because there are hundreds of places to pull over and get to safety, which is what they claim they wanted, right?
On [Tuesday] evening, May 16, the NYPD assisted the private security team protecting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” a spokesperson for the NYPD said. “There were numerous photographers that made their transport challenging. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard.”
The couple’s spokesperson has since tried to block the release of the photos due to the dangerous manner in which they were obtained. However, Kelly argued that the press has the right to photograph public figures when they are in public places.
Kelly’s comments drew criticism from some quarters, with many accusing her of being insensitive and dismissive of the couple’s concerns. Some pointed out that Kelly’s own experiences of being followed by paparazzi did not necessarily make her an expert on the situation.
The NYPD also issued a statement confirming that they had assisted the private security team protecting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the evening of May 16. While there were numerous photographers making their transport challenging, there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard to the incident.
The incident highlights the ongoing debate about the role of the media in the lives of public figures. While many argue that public figures should expect a certain level of scrutiny and attention, others argue that this should not come at the expense of their safety and well-being. The incident also highlights the ongoing tensions between the media and the royal family, who have had a difficult relationship with the press in recent years.
