Harry and Meghan moved to California in 2020 after dramatically quitting royal life
AFP

KEY POINTS

  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were reportedly hurt by the claims they exaggerated the story
  • The Sussexes will reportedly not stay out of sight following the car chase incident
  • The incident strengthened Prince Harry and Markle's resolve to stand up for themselves

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were reportedly taken aback by the responses to the "nearly catastrophic" car chase involving them in New York City.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex insisted that the car chase incident in New York City involving them was not exaggerated, Page Six reported. An anonymous source also spoke with Us Weekly about the couple's alleged reaction after several netizens reacted as if their account about the incident was exaggerated.

"They insist their account of the car chase was absolutely not exaggerated, and for people to say otherwise is so hurtful and out of line," the unnamed tipster said.

Prince Harry and Markle announced a day after attending the Women of Vision Awards that they were involved in a "relentless pursuit" with "aggressive paparazzi" in NYC, and it lasted for "over two hours." Several found their version of events sensational, with many, including Whoopi Goldberg, saying a car chase wasn't possible in the Big Apple.

However, the tipster said the Sussexes are not backing down and would refuse to be silenced with their own story.

"As far as staying out of sight and being scared to show their faces, that's not going to happen," the source continued. "[This has] just strengthened their resolve to keep standing up for themselves and speaking out when they feel wronged."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's publicist Ashley Hansen also released a statement earlier this week slamming the allegations that the incident was just a PR stunt.

"Respectfully, considering the duke's family history, one would have to think nothing of the couple or anybody associated with them to believe this was any sort of PR stunt," Hansen said in a statement to Page Six. "Quite frankly, I think that's abhorrent."

The car chase involving the Sussexes was compared to the incident in Paris, which resulted in Princess Diana's death. However, the late Princess of Wales' former butler Paul Burrell also felt that there should be no comparison because the incident involving Prince Harry and Markle was allegedly a "total exaggeration."

"They were totally different circumstances. Diana was actually avoiding the press, the night she died. Meghan and Harry were courting the press on the night that they had their car chased in Manhattan," Burrel claimed on "GB News."

"I don't want any harm to come to Meghan and Harry, and I'm a great supporter of our working members of the royal family. But I find it very hard to believe all the facts being issued from Harry's spokesperson. This 'near catastrophic' car chase the "relentless pursuit" for two hours. I think it's total exaggeration."

Prince Harry photographed with his wife Meghan and her mother Doria Ragland
AFP