Prince Harry attracts huge attention and he knows a public outing with Meghan – the first since the coronation – would entice even more interest. But he certainly won’t have expected this.
The US is his home now – one of the reasons he moved was to escape the British press. Except the press are everywhere, and the appetite for a photo of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex together seems insatiable.
This is perhaps in part because we haven’t seen the couple making many public appearances together. Ever since their Netflix series, Meghan has kept a low profile while Harry released his memoir and gave several subsequent interviews.
He was spotted at the airport within hours of the service ending.
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1:22
New York paparazzi Royals chase ‘reckless’
Image: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were attending an awards ceremony in New York
None of this, of course, justifies the chaos and chase to take the couple’s photo after they left a New York awards ceremony. They hadn’t entered through a backdoor as we’ve seen on some occasions.
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In fact, they’d made a public entrance and exit and paused for photos in front of the invited media.
Prince Harry will be furious. We have a well-documented account of his life growing up in the glare of long lenses and his hatred of the press who he blames for his mother’s death.
He’s spoken about paparazzi jumping on the bonnet of his car.
But of course, most poignantly he’s spoken at length about Diana’s relationship with the press, and the incessant intrusion he experienced growing up.
Image: Harry and his mother Diana in 1987. Pic: AP
In his memoir Spare, Harry recalls his mother driving him to tennis lessons, with photographers in pursuit “blasting through red lights”, and as a young boy asking: “Are they going to kill us, mummy? Are we going to die?”
Losing his mother has made him even more protective of his own young family. In a recent interview, he said: “I never want to be in that position… I don’t want history to repeat itself.”
That’s why security and protection has been such a big issue for Harry.
He has legal cases challenging the decisions surrounding the withdrawal of his automatic personal security. He also has three legal actions against the tabloid press as he attempts to “change the media landscape”.
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Phone hacking trial explained
He knows he’s not making any friends with the newspapers in doing so, but even he wouldn’t have expected a night out to end like this.
What happened on the streets of Manhattan, a world away from royal life, shows us two significant things.
Firstly, there remains a clamouring media interest in the couple, with paparazzi hunting and hounding them.
And secondly, perhaps more worryingly, they are prepared to do so whatever the risks.
England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.
England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey, New York, at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.
Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am GMT the following morning).
They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 24 June.
Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.
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2:44
England and Scotland learn World Cup fate
Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.
Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
England are in Group L along with Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Their first match will be against Croatia, who beat them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Image: Pic: Reuters
Scotland’s first match will be against Haiti, in Group C.
Brazil and Morocco are the other Group C teams – both countries were also in the same opening group as Scotland in the 1998 World Cup in France.
Image: Trump and Infantino at the World Cup draw
Wales have yet to find out if they will qualify as they must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, and then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
If they can overcome these play-off opponents then they will secure their place in Group B along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. But Northern Ireland will also be vying and hoping to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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1:20
‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw
The Republic of Ireland also need to get through the play-offs first and are paired against the Czech Republic for their semi-final. Should Ireland win that match, they will need to beat either North Macedonia or Denmark to get to the finals where an opening group containing joint hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea awaits.
This was a World Cup draw like no other. Crafted less for the teams but for one man.
The choice of venue. The creation of a new trophy. The closing music act.
Donald Trump was lavished with the adulation he craves by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and feels others unfairly deny him.
Knowing how much being overlooked by the Nobel Committee hurt the US president, there was Mr Infantino with FIFA’s newly-created Peace Prize to hand over. And a medal for Mr Trump to wear.
“This is truly one of the great honours of my life,” he said. “And beyond awards, Gianni and I were discussing this. We saved millions and millions of lives.”
This was all on the stage in front of an audience who turned up to find out who they will be playing at the World Cup.
England handed an undaunting route past Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Scotland paired with newcomers Haiti before tricky reunions from their last men’s World Cup in 1998 against Brazil and Morocco.
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Image: Pic: Reuters
But the show before the draw could even begin – presided over by Rio Ferdinand – took almost as long as a football match, at 87 minutes after the noon kick-off was delayed.
There was a walk of self-promotion to complete – “I guess they have to wait” – before taking his seat in the Kennedy Center. Or the Trump Kennedy Center as the president takes to calling the venue picked 1.5 miles from the White House.
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0:35
England manager Thomas Tuchel reacts to draw
“It was falling apart,” he said, delaying the walk into the auditorium. “And now it’s, it’s pretty much back.”
Mr Infantino could only watch on, beaming, at his friend.
“We had a dead country,” Mr Trump went on, “and now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world”.
There was the awkwardness of being reminded, before receiving the peace accolade, about threats to launch military strikes on Venezuela to stop the drugs trade.
“I did settle eight wars, and we have a ninth coming,” he swatted away the question. “Which nobody’s ever done before. But I want to really save lives. I don’t need prizes.”
But FIFA knew how much he wanted more gold for the collection with the prize.
Image: Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Pic: Reuters
Image: Pic: Reuters
And for all the mockery and disdain targeted at FIFA, how many sports would relish having the US president spend several hours attending a procedural event determining the placing of teams in groups for a tournament?
How many would dish out the same flattery to secure direct lines to the leader of the nation staging their championship?
Many have benefited from Mr Trump’s stardust and swagger being attached to this spectacle.
Even Port Vale’s most famous fan – Robbie Williams – secured a walk-on role, exceeding his profile this side of the Pond.
And the Village People are reaping the rewards of becoming the unlikeliest of Trump hype acts.
The festivities ended with eyes fixed back up to the presidential seating and the YMCA dance being performed.
This was an afternoon that dispelled any pretence that FIFA keeps a distance from politics. It was unapologetically political. But few speak out in the FIFA world as the redistributed wealth keeps rolling back in their direction.
It would be easy to forget this isn’t entirely America’s World Cup. They’re sharing hosting with Canada and Mexico.
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1:20
‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw
And eventually the spotlight was ceded to their leaders – very briefly – as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney drew out their countries’ names.
But it did live up to FIFA’s mantra that football can unite the world.
The neighbours were brought together here on a snowy day in Washington. And tensions – often stoked by Mr Trump with Canada and Mexico – thawed in the name of football.