It appears Prince Harry and Meghan Markle won’t be getting copies of the footage taken during their “near catastrophic car chase” anytime soon. The couple’s legal request sent to a photo agency has reportedly been denied via a letter referencing “royal prerogative.”
Backgrid denied the request, saying Harry and Meghan have no right to the copyrighted photos and videos. A portion of the agency’s letter also included in the report featured nods to the couple’s royal family ties.
“In America, as I’m sure you know, property belongs to the owner of it,” Backgrid’s lawyer said in the letter. “Third parties cannot just demand it be given to them, as perhaps Kings can do,” the agency replied.
“Perhaps you should sit down with your client and advise them that his English rules of royal prerogative to demand that the citizenry hand over their property to the Crown were rejected by this country long ago. We stand by our founding fathers.”
Backgrid also said it “had no intention of causing any distress or harm” sending four photographers — one on a bike and three in cars — to get footage of Harry, Meghan, and Ragland. “Their only tool was their cameras.”