Harry, Meghan walked by paparazzi regardless of having ex-Obama Secret Service agent often called ‘king of again exits’: supply

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle personally determined to stroll in entrance of the group of photographers outdoors the Ziegfeld Ballroom on Tuesday night time — who they later blamed for an allegedly “near-catastrophic automotive chase.”

The couple’s choice was made regardless of their safety being led by a former member of Barack Obama’s Secret Service element often called “the king of the again exits” for his means to quietly get celebrities out of high-profile conditions.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had been accompanied by Chris Sanchez, a famend ex-Secret Serviceman, as they left the Ziegfeld Ballroom on Tuesday night time.

Sanchez was with the Sussexes as they jumped from a blacked-out SUV right into a yellow taxi whereas making an attempt to flee from the photographers who had been making an attempt to observe them again to a pal’s residence.

A supply near the Sussexes informed us the couple determined to stroll out the again of the ballroom round 10 p.m. as a result of they needed to provide ready photographers a shot of them.

“Harry and Meghan had been keen to provide everybody these pictures after they left the occasion, that was not the issue, however they had been tailed from that time on,” the supply mentioned.

Their rep, Ashley Hansen, informed the New York Occasions Friday: “They had been some
of essentially the most stunning pictures of the night,”

The couple, nonetheless, didn’t cease to pose. Images present an initially smiling Harry main his spouse by the hand, together with his expression then turning to a scowl.

Lastly a big group of safety blocked photographers making an attempt to {photograph} them stepping into their ready SUV.

Harry, 38, took video within the automotive experience to seize the second, Web page Six is informed, as he informed pals prompted him to swear “f—okay” out loud, admitting it was the closest he had ever felt to understanding the night time of his mom’s, Princess Diana’s loss of life, in a automotive crash in August 1997.

He filmed as one photographer drove up alongside them on a sidewalk and a automotive almost shunted into one other automotive.

Michael Stewart, a New York-based freelance photographer, informed pals how he selected
to observe the couple on his electrical bike for half an hour, the NYT reported, telling individuals there have been six vehicles concerned within the melee — three belonging to the Sussexes and three
belonging to photographers who had been in pursuit. Round half a dozen had been on bikes.

One other photographer concerned within the incident, Martin Patterson, often called Blayze, additionally adopted the couple. He informed the NYT: “There may be nothing for the general public or the police to really be involved about. The info are on the market. Precisely what you see is what it’s there.”

Kevin Mazur was the only real photographer with full entry on the Ms. Basis gala, leaving different shutterbugs fuming. Most are paid solely after they have pictures revealed. It’s also uncommon for pink carpets to have only one photographer.

Freelance photographer Roger Wong informed the NYT the others had been left to {photograph} the Sussexes by means of the glass after they arrived and had been whisked into the theater by way of a Hertz workplace — he went residence empty-handed.

However this has all sparked questions on how the debacle got here to move, as one highly-placed supply informed us: “Chris is likely one of the finest safety males on the market, he’s extraordinarily savvy.

“He’s been with Harry and Meghan numerous instances – together with with them in New York – and made positive they weren’t seen.

“He’s actually often called the king of the again exits and can assist get his principals (purchasers) out with out ever being seen, so I’ve no clue how this all occurred,” the supply added.

Talking to CNN this week, Sanchez alleged of the incident: “I’ve by no means seen, skilled something like this. What we had been coping with was very chaotic. There have been a few dozen autos: vehicles, scooters and bicycles.

“The general public [was] in jeopardy at a number of factors. It might have been deadly. They had been leaping curbs and pink lights. At one level they blocked the limousine (carrying the couple) and began taking photos till we had been in a position to get out,” he added.

Nonetheless, picture company Backgrid mentioned that nobody was in any hazard.

After leaving the Secret Service, Sanchez turned a vp at TorchStone International, a agency with places of work in cities together with New York Metropolis, Chicago, Boston and Palo Alto, California. 

He was first noticed with the Sussexes on the Invictus Video games in The Hague, Netherlands, in April 2022.

He’s additionally believed to have joined the couple after they got here to the International Citizen live performance in Central Park in September 2021.

Earlier than becoming a member of the royal couple’s entourage, Sanchez spent 5 years working for the U.S. authorities. He has greater than 20 years of safety expertise in areas together with disaster administration, website vulnerability evaluation and risk safety.

Sanchez mentioned he “was involved in regards to the principals (Harry and Markle), however extra in regards to the public as a result of they (the paparazzi) had been being so erratic. Folks had been on sidewalks and crossing streets and the (paparazzi) had been crossing pink lights. We did every thing by the letter of regulation.”

Harry and Meghan switched vehicles “greater than as soon as” in the course of the automotive chase, Sanchez mentioned. 
After the incident, the Sussexes had been “scared, exhausted, however relieved to be again,” he added.

Ultimately, nobody was injured and the couple arrived safely, however shaken, on the condominium the place they had been staying, he mentioned.

Police later mentioned the incident was “difficult” however there have been no collisions and nobody was damage.

And Sonny Singh, the taxi driver whose cab they obtained into, additionally performed down the thought of a chase, telling The Submit that whereas they appeared “nervous,” it was not a full-on automotive chase. “They had been quiet and appeared scared nevertheless it’s New York — it’s protected,” he mentioned.

Though the couple has, up to now, gone to nice lengths to not be photographed – and have been notoriously privacy-obsessed — they’ve been snapped in public at the least 4 instances in California over the previous few months.