During Bill de Blasio's tenure as the New York City mayor, he provided Harry and Meghan with 24/7 protection from the New York Police Department (NYPD). This security arrangement included rotating teams for round-the-clock coverage and three armored SUVs whenever they were in town.
However, when Eric Adams assumed the role of mayor in 2022, he was taken by surprise when the Sussexes made a last-minute request for the same high-level 24/7 protection that they had received under de Blasio's administration. Initially, Mayor Adams granted their request, but upon closer examination of the significant expense involved, he decided to deny them New York City Police Department VIP protection during their last visit.
Furthermore, Mayor Adams has publicly stated his intent to continue refusing such protection in the future. Many applaud Mayor Eric Adams for not burdening New York taxpayers with the expense of providing security for the couple.
Previously, Mayor Adams had declined to provide Harry with NYPD protection during his book tour in January when the request was made. However, the Sussexes persisted in requesting such protection during their recent visit, which led to the creation of the fake car chase incident as a way to seemingly retaliate against Mayor Adams for his decision to withhold expensive security services.
When the fake car chase incident occurred, New York City had approximately 86,000 surveillance video cameras owned and managed by the New York City Police Department, with additional cameras at private homes, apartment buildings, restaurants, retail stores, and private schools, among other places. This extensive network ensured that every moment of the fake car chase was recorded. Within an hour, DVDs of the fake car chase were produced and distributed.
Videos of the incident were emailed to Mayor Adams, the New York City Police Department chief, the New York City PR department, the New York governor, and the U.S. State Department. It's possible that a phone call from the British Embassy in the United States or MI5 could secure a copy of the video, which may have been offered to King Charles and the Prince of Wales as well. Fortunately, none of those in possession of the video chose to release it to the press.
However, some fans of the Sussexes argue that they should receive the same security courtesy that foreign dignitaries visiting the United States do. The U.S. government has reciprocal security agreements with countries like the UK, which means that when U.S. presidents visit foreign nations, they receive 24/7 VIP security. For instance, when President Joe Biden attended Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, he brought his own Secret Service agents and received additional security from Scotland Yard.
When the Prince and Princess of Wales visited Boston for the Earthshot event, they had their longstanding security officers supplemented with local Boston police and officers from the Diplomatic Security Services, a part of the U.S. State Department. This diplomatic courtesy and security protection are extended to prevent any untoward incidents involving foreign dignitaries.
While the cost of providing such security may not be a significant burden to U.S. taxpayers, the 36 New York City Police Department officers per day and the three armored SUVs used for the Sussexes' protection can be substantial for New York City. This expense also diverts these officers from other law enforcement duties.
In Mayor Adams's view, the Sussexes are no longer internationally protected figures but private citizens. Moreover, Prince Harry has demonstrated his ability to hire private security when he deems it necessary, as evidenced by his actions during his book tour in New York City and his recent participation in the Invictus Games.
