Gayle King says it's 'troubling' that people are 'downplaying' Prince Harry, Meghan Markle car chase claim

CBS News' Gayle King said she finds it "troubling" that media figures and members of the public are "downplaying" the paparazzi car chase involving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle that occurred last week in New York City.

"I think it was a very unfortunate incident," King told Page Six on Saturday. "It’s troubling to me that anybody would try to downplay what that would mean to them. That’s very troubling to me."

A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex claimed that the couple was pursued by paparazzi in a car chase that went on for two hours last Tuesday night, after leaving a charity event in Manhattan’s midtown. The pursuit resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers, according to the spokesperson, who called the incident "near catastrophic."

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No footage of the alleged car chase has been made available. The NYPD told Fox News Digital that while 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 NYPD is looking through traffic camera footage and security footage to "piece together what transpired," a law enforcement source told Fox News Digital.

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High-profile media figures, politicians and online critics immediately cast doubt on the couple's claim, questioning the likeliness that they were chased in Manhattan for over two hours by paparazzi in a "near catastrophic" pursuit, as they alleged.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said last week that while he agrees paparazzi need to prioritize "public safety," he is skeptical about the duration of the chase.

"I would find it hard to believe there was a two-hour high-speed chase," he told reporters, adding that even if it was a 10-minute chase, it would still be "extremely dangerous in New York City."

The View" co-host Whoopi Goldberg similarly remarked, "I think people in New York know if it was possible to have car chases in New York, we’d all make it to the theater on time." U.K. Royals expert Neil Sean also questioned the couple's claim, telling Fox News last week that they have "proven to be liars." 

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King, who reportedly became close friends with Prince Harry and Markle after she was introduced to the couple by Oprah Winfrey, told Page Six that she finds it upsetting that some are trying to "minimize how [Harry and Markle] felt in that moment."

"I’m just really sorry it happened and very sorry they had to go through it," King said. "Everybody can have all of their opinions, but I always go back to, ‘How did they feel in that moment?’"

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At some point in the alleged pursuit, the couple was eventually able to switch to a taxi cab, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and did so on condition. The taxi driver who picked up the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told the Washington Post that while they were followed by two cars with photographers who took pictures and were filming them, calling it a car "chase" might be hyperbolic.

"I don't think I would call it a chase. I never felt like I was in danger," Sukhcharn Singh told the outlet. 

"It wasn't like a car chase in a movie. They were quiet and seemed scared, but it's New York," he said. "It's safe."