Years before she found her happily ever after with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle had set her sights on another British heartthrob.

According to Tom Bauer, during her time in London, she had a keen interest in Ashley Cole, a renowned British footballer.

However, she was repeatedly warned that he was bad news and not a good person.

So why did she zero in on him?

One theory suggests that she wanted to be part of the Beckham crowd, as there were numerous pictures of Cole and David Beckham catching her eye.

Perhaps Beckham was seen as another stepping stone towards getting closer to royalty.

Lizzie Cundy, a close friend of Meghan’s, revealed that she had attempted to set up Markle with Ashley Cole back in 2013.

Markle had expressed her love for London and her desire for an English boyfriend, prompting Cundy to scour her contacts for a potential match.

Although Ashley Cole wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about the idea, Cundy did her best to play matchmaker.

Looking back, she finds it amusing how she tried to bring them together.

Cundy also mentioned that Markle had always been upfront about her aspirations for fame.

She possessed a certain sparkle, a touch of magic, but perhaps she underestimated the challenges that come with being in the public eye.

Fame, as Cundy pointed out, is hard work.

Expressing her personal opinion, Cundy admitted that she didn’t believe Meghan and Harry had handled things in the right way.

However, she emphasized that if she were to meet Markle today, she would greet her with a warm embrace.

Ultimately, Cundy is glad to see that Meghan has found happiness.

While Meghan was clearly interested in Ashley Cole, he denied ever exchanging messages with her.