In a notable departure from their usual stance, Ashley Hansen, the publicist for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, has broken her silence to address what she calls 'conspiracy theories' surrounding Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
This response comes after a period of relative media silence for Meghan, following the release of Prince Harry's autobiography, "Spare," and an incident that thrust them into the headlines involving an alleged chase with paparazzi, described as "almost catastrophic."
Speculation arose that the couple might have intended to portray the incident as more chaotic than it was to garner sympathy and potentially influence British authorities to reconsider providing police protection for Prince Harry in the UK.
Various media outlets and celebrities weighed in on the 'persecution' narrative. The New York Times highlighted Prince Harry's lawyer appearing in a London court on the same day as the New York incident, arguing for the duke's right to pay for police protection in the UK.
Whoopi Goldberg and former Real Housewives star Bethenny Frankel questioned the authenticity of the incident, with Goldberg pointing out the difference between New York and Los Angeles car chases.
Even a friend of Prince Harry found the description of the chase hysterical, suggesting that making such statements might be unhelpful, particularly considering the varying recollections of events.
In response to media scrutiny, Meghan and Harry's publicist, Ashley Hansen, explained the decision to characterize the incident as "almost catastrophic" and lasting "about two hours." She emphasized the couple's family history and the tragic accident that claimed Princess Diana's life, pointing out the sensitivity of such situations.
Ashley maintained Meghan and Harry's version of events, reinforced when the couple requested photographic and video material from the Backgrid photography agency, who vehemently denied any near-collisions or endangerment during the incident. The agency asserted that their photographers did not intend to cause harm, but they take the allegations seriously and promised a thorough investigation.
