Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were involved in a 'near catastrophic car chase' last night

A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has released a statement stating that the couple endured a 'relentless pursuit' from paparazzi last night after attending an event in New York. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were at the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards where Meghan was awarded as an honouree for her philanthropic work, and they were joined by the Duchess' mother, Doria Ragland. 

In a statement, a representative for the couple said that Harry and Meghan were involved in a 'near catastrophic car chase' that lasted for over two hours, with several 'near collisions' during that time. 

The statement reads: "Last night, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi.

"This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD (New York Police Department) officers," the spokesperson added.

"While being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public, it should never come at the cost of anyone's safety," the spokesperson said.

"Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all in involved."

It followed their first public appearance together since King Charles' coronation earlier this month. Harry attended the ceremony to watch as his father was crowned, while Meghan remained in the US with their two children, Archie and Lilibet. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spoken about their experience with press intrusion in recent months, with the couple detailing in their Netflix documentary how frequently their privacy is invaded. 

This news story will continue to be updated.