Prince Harry’s hour-long celebrity tattoo parlour visit in NYC flanked by NYPD security

On Wednesday, the Duke of Sussex rolled up to a famed tattoo shop in New York City. The royal’s visit to East Side Ink in the Lower East Side of Manhattan adds to its celebrity-loved portfolio status as Hollywood A-listers, including the OG Avengers squad – Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner – also got their signature matching ink there, all thanks to artist Joshua Lord.

However, it seems that Harry didn’t actually get inked. Insiders told Page Six he was only there for a promotional stunt linked to an upcoming project. Harry’s Wednesday outing to the NYC spot is said to have lasted over an hour after he arrived at about 1 pm.

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Prince Harry receives additional security during NYC visit

According to photos obtained by the media outlet, the 40-year-old prince was accompanied by a small group of security personnel, one of whom is reportedly a New York Police Department official assigned to be by Harry’s side during his ongoing NYC trip. In addition to the security detail flanking him as he was headed to the celebrity-loved tattoo shop, two NYPD cars covered the front and back.

The prince’s beefed-up security is attributed to a “near-catastrophic” two-hour car chase in Manhattan in 2023 when a “highly aggressive paparazzi” pursued him, his wife Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland, according to The New York Post.

Prince Harry’s solo ventures continue

A month ago, reports surfaced of Harry returning to the Big Apple in September. His rep told the NY-based outlet that the new solo adventure will “advance a number of his patronages and philanthropic initiatives,” including those with African Parks, The HALO Trust, The Diana Award, and Travalyst.

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His visit to the concrete jungle coincides with UN General Assembly High-Level Week and Climate Week. It expands his itinerary sans his wife, Meghan Markle, which will extend further as the duke is expected to land in the UK as a special guest award presenter at the annual WellChild Awards on September 30.

But, as is evident, Prince Harry’s NYC trip wasn’t all business. His day tour to East Side Ink was the second escapade to a Hollywood landmark. It appears he shot his recent appearance on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, where he pulled up to a haunted house with the late-night host, on the same day as his tattoo adventures because he was spotted donning the same outfit during both outings.