The US media covered the Sussexes’ claims that they were involved in a “near catastrophic” two-hour car chase with paparazzi in New York with mixed interest.
Tabloids such as the New York Post have lapped up the story with expected relish, whereas broadsheets such as the New York Times and Washington Post have approached the story with a sense of moderation.
Here we take a look at how the US media covered the story:
New York Post
New York Post: Duke (and Duchess) of Hazard #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/viXVIzcCrb
— George Mann 🫧⚒️🫧 (@sgfmann) May 18, 2023
The New York Post has the story on the front of its website and print edition under the headlines “Duke (and Duchess) of hazard”, alluding to the 1980s action comedy series The Dukes of Hazzard, in which the two lead characters would often travel at high speed in a Dodge Charger nicknamed the General Lee.
Under a fresh headline, “Inside the drama of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s NYC paparazzi chase ordeal”, the Post makes comparisons to the death of Harry’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, but reports that “cops said the supposed ordeal wasn’t nearly as dramatic as the couple claimed”.
New York Daily News
Bit of bonus #TomorrowsPapersToday - New York Daily News: Scary Echo of Diana pic.twitter.com/zKruTGf002
— George Mann 🫧⚒️🫧 (@sgfmann) May 18, 2023
The New York Daily News print edition splashes with the story under the headline “Scary echo of Diana” – in another nod to the former Princess of Wales’s death in a car crash in Paris as the vehicle she was travelling in was pursed by paparazzi.
New York Times
The New York Times has a short down-page story on the front of its print edition, with the online version sliding its way down the front.
The print headline, “Harry, Meghan and the frenzy that follows their every move”, captures the high level of interest the couple still attract in the US.
Its online article – “Prince Harry and Meghan Say They Were Chased by Paparazzi in New York” – covers the Diana comparison while balancing the Sussexes’ claims with accounts from the police and a taxi driver who was briefly involved, which the paper says makes the picture “more complicated”.
Los Angeles Times
The LA Times, Harry and Meghan’s home newspaper, covers the story online, already slipping further down the front of its website, under the headline: “Authorities shed light on Prince Harry, Meghan’s alleged ‘near catastrophic’ car chase.”
Like the NYT, the paper covers the claims made by Prince Harry Meghan, but adds that their “dire statement” has been “tempered” by authorities responding to the incident.
Washington Post
The Washington Post’s quite literal headline – “Prince Harry, Meghan say they were chased by NYC paparazzi. Cab driver describes incident” – suggests a less enthusiastic level of interest compared with the tabloids’ more febrile coverage.
The newspaper quotes a taxi driver who transported the couple for a part of their journey that he “would not call the incident a chase, adding that he felt safe during the ride”.
The UK papers
Pictures of the Sussexes appear on the front pages of many of the UK newspapers, including the Guardian, Daily Mail, Telegraph and Times.
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