Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Doubling Down on Security to Avoid 'Any Risks' in New York City After Their 'Catastrophic Car Chase'

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are preparing for their first New York trip since their May vehicle pursuit. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to attend the Archewell Foundation Parents Summit on World Mental Health Day.

The Tuesday, October 10, panel will be moderated by Today’s Carson Daly, and the forum aligns with the Sussexes' initiative to end cyberbullying.

"The summit will feature parents who have experienced tragic loss, connected to their child’s social media use," a spokesperson revealed. "The families have been engaged with the Archewell Foundation for the past year, bolstering community and driving toward solutions."

"Together, they are united in their mission to share personal experiences, data, and research to ensure the same does not happen to other families," the rep added.

Although the partners are looking forward to their nonprofit's first in-person event, public relations expert Mayah Riaz believes the Sussexes will increase their security after their last experience in New York City.

Riaz speculated that the Sussexes are working hard to prevent another scary run-in with shutterbugs.

"Ahead of Harry and Meghan's New York trip, they'll likely to be thinking of their last trip and the paparazzi car chase. Therefore, they will no doubt be taking certain measures along with their security and PR teams for a smooth trip," the professional told an outlet.

The last time Meghan and Harry were in the Big Apple, the Archewelll founders hid in a New York City Police station to hide from eager photographers.

"Firstly, they would have already established a comprehensive security plan. This would involve assessing potential risks and implementing measures to mitigate them," Riaz suggested. "Securing safe transportation and coordinating with the New York Police Department."

"In order to minimize risks, they will ensure the driver(s) will have experience in handling high-profile individuals. Media managing will be crucial too, given the couple's high-profile status," she added.

With Meghan and Harry's celebrity ranking, the pair has to give journalists and publications strict instructions in order to protect themselves.

"[Media] is essential to avoid invasive and potentially dangerous actions of paparazzi," the publicist shared. "I would imagine Harry and Meghan’s PR team have already established clear guidelines for media access to the couple. This will have ensured that only authorized and vetted media professionals are granted access to them."

Despite Meghan and Harry describing the ordeal as "catastrophic," Riaz is excited to see the American-based royals return to the metropolitan area.

"It's great to see that Meghan and Harry are returning to New York after the car chase incident after their last trip," she concluded. "This shows that they are not wanting precious incidents to hold them back from supporting causes close to their heart. It would also be a support for them having each other at the event."

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A representative for Meghan and Harry explained that the incident was time-consuming and compromised the parents' well-being.

"This relentless pursuit, lasting over 2 hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and 2 NYPD officers," the member of the Sussexes' team shared.

Riaz spoke to the The Mirror.