Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and her mother Doria Ragland were making their way back to a friend’s private residence when they were involved in a “near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi” in New York City.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in New York City for the Ms. Foundation 2023 Women of Vision Awards: Celebrating Generations of Progress & Power. Meghan, 41, was honored as one of this year’s Woman of Vision Award honorees for her global advocacy to empower women and girls.

Doria Ragland, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex attend the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards: Celebrating Generations of Progress & Power at Ziegfeld Ballroom on May 16, 2023 in New York City.

During her acceptance speech, Meghan recalled reading Ms. magazine when she was a child. “I remember them vividly because the pictures were different. There was diversity that I hadn’t seen as often, both of color and of age and the names were different,” Meghan remarked. “There were congresswomen, there were astronauts and the topics were different — from mothering to being a working mom to heavier topics such as domestic violence, the poverty line, unearthing its roots, where it comes from and matters of equity.”

After the event, Meghan, Prince Harry and her mother Doria Ragland were making their way back to a friend’s private residence, where they were staying, and did not want to compromise the location to the public, PEOPLE has learned. PEOPLE has been told half a dozen vehicles pursued their car, running red lights and reversing down a one-way street, driving on the sidewalk during their efforts to take photos of the couple and Doria. PEOPLE has been told that despite confrontations by uniformed police officers, paparazzi continued their pursuit of the vehicle.

Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997 following a car crash caused by paparazzi chasing the car carrying her and her boyfriend, Dodi Al Fayed, through the streets of Paris.