Prince Harry and Meghan Markle drove a seven-car convoy around a single block on Tuesday to attend World Mental Health Day in New York City.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex left a garage near the Equinox Hotel in Hudson Yards and made a one-way left onto 33rd Street, then ended up at another garage on 33rd Street – 200 feet away removed first.
The environmentally conscious couple’s convoy of seven gas-guzzling blacked-out SUVs was escorted through the streets of Manhattan by NYPD escorts.
After the short trip, the couple hosted a panel discussion at the World Mental Health Day Festival, marking their first in-person event for their charity, the Archewell Foundation.
The mental health summit, attended by Today host Carson and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s participation marked the couple’s first appearance together in New York since the “near-disastrous car chase” they were involved in in May after attending the Women of Vision Awards.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex traveled just one block in the police-escorted convoy to attend the World Mental Health Day festival in New York City
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex left a garage on 30th Street Hudson Yards to walk around the block according to the one-way system, then ended up at another garage on 33rd Street, less than 200 feet from the first garage
The convoy of seven blacked-out cars led the Duke and Duchess, pictured, around the block to the mental health summit
On this occasion, the couple appeared to have taken strict measures to ensure their safety – with a marked NYPD escort accompanying their fleet of SUVs to the event.
The couple appeared unfazed on Tuesday and were all smiles as they arrived at the Hudson Yards venue.
Meghan, 42, topped out in a $987 white off-the-shoulder Altuzarra blazer with matching white pants and heels, while her husband, 39, wore a sharp navy suit.
However, the two appeared to become emotional as the event began, and both looked incredibly somber as the panel discussion began – parents who have “suffered a tragic loss related to their child’s use of social media” took the stage to tell their stories.
They revealed during the event that they have been working behind the scenes with parents over the past year to “create a community of shared experiences,” with Harry and Meghan later taking the stage to thank all the mothers and fathers who shared their stories.
“I can’t start without thanking all the parents, mothers and fathers who were here today, for being with us, physically here today, but also for being on this journey over the last year and making this community more together “We created experiences,” Harry said in a video shared by The Hollywood Reporter.
“We know it’s not easy for you to be here, so thank you.”
Meanwhile, Meghan admitted that some of the stories the parents shared at their first meeting brought her to tears.
Meghan, 42, was seen in a glamorous white strapless trouser suit as she arrived at the Hudson Yards venue for the summit, where the couple will discuss the dangers of social media
The couple appeared to have taken pretty strict measures to ensure their safety – with a designated NYPD escort accompanying their fleet of SUVs to the event
Both Meghan and Harry appeared somber as they sat down at the event, which will feature parents who have suffered “losses related to their child’s use of social media.”
A large security detail accompanied the Montecito-based couple in New York City on Tuesday
Security guards prepare to escort the Duke and Duchess of Sussex around the block in Hudson Yards, New York City
“When we met some of the families a year ago, not all of them, it was impossible not to burst into tears as I’m sure so many of you have heard these stories today,” she said.
“You can hear these stories over and over again and they will still have the same emotional impact because they are just so devastating.”
Meghan continued to express her fears for her own children, who are growing up in a time when social media plays such a large role in everyone’s lives.
“Although our children are very young as parents, they are two and a half and four and a half… but social media is not going away,” she continued.
“I think there was an intentional entry point that was meant to have a positive impact on creating a community and something developed and there’s no way to hear that and not try to help these families with their stories.” be heard.”
In a video shared by Huffington Post reporter Carly Ledbetter, Meghan described her role as a mother as the “most important thing in her life… other than being a wife to Harry,” before opening up about her concerns about that relationship expressed to her children Archie and Lilibet via social media.
“Being a mother is the most important thing in my entire life…besides being my wife here,” she said when Carson asked her what a “priority” social media safety was for her, a mother of two young children.
“But I have to say, I feel lucky that our kids are still at a pretty young age so this isn’t in our immediate future, but I’m also scared of how this continues to change.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left a garage on 30th Street Hudson Yards, walked around the block and ended up at another garage on 33rd Street to attend their mental health summit
The visit marks the first time they have returned to New York since their visit in May, when they said they were involved in a “near-disastrous car chase.”
As Meghan took the stage at the event, she admitted she was moved to tears by some of the “devastating” stories shared by parents attending the summit
After the short trip, the couple hosted a panel discussion at the World Mental Health Day Festival, marking their first in-person event for their charity, the Archewell Foundation
The couple’s convoy of seven blacked-out vehicles was seen on the streets of Manhattan on Tuesday
“And that’s what lies ahead.” As they say, “As parents, the days are long but the years are short.” So it worries me, but the progress we’ve made over the last year also gives me a lot Hope and a lot of energy.”
Questions still remain about Harry and Meghan’s account of their last visit to the city in May.
A statement from the couple’s spokesman described the car journey as “near catastrophic”.
The spokesman said the couple, as well as Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland, were victims of “more than two hours of relentless pursuit” by “extremely aggressive paparazzi.”
It was believed they were trying to avoid being followed to their location on the city’s Upper East Side.
However, New York police later told NBC that they did not consider the chase to be “close to catastrophic,” instead describing it as a “somewhat chaotic scene.”
Julian Phillips, New York’s deputy commissioner of public information, also revealed that the NYPD “assisted” the couple’s private security team.
Meanwhile, New York Mayor Eric Adams expressed his condolences and described the actions of the paparazzi as “reckless” and “irresponsible” but said it was “hard to believe” that a two-hour high-speed chase occurred.