A sharp response was given by the agency Backgrid – which is based in California – to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who demanded to give them the photos taken by the paparazzi during the chase.

The agency, however, announced on Thursday that it not only rejected the request, which was received from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s legal team, but also stressed that “royal privilege” does not apply in the US.

“We demand that Backgrid immediately provide us with copies of all photos and videos taken by the photographers after the couple left the event”the letter said, according to what Backgrid told the BBC about the royal couple’s sharp response:

“In America, as we’re sure you know, material belongs to its owner. Third parties cannot simply demand that it be given to them, as kings might do.”.

“Perhaps you should sit down with your clients and inform them that the English rules of royal prerogative requiring citizens to hand over their belongings to the crown was discarded by this country a long time ago. We stand by our founders,” also pointed Backgrid to lawyers for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

It is recalled that the episode, according to the couple, happened when the two and Meghan Markle’s mother were leaving a ceremony in which the Duchess of Sussex was awarded. The couple spoke of a “near-destructive chase” by “extremely aggressive paparazzi”, but photographers felt the pair were never in “immediate danger at any point”, according to the agency.

The New York City police, for its part, announced that there was no crash, injury or arrest.