Prince Harry had a crush on Meghan Markle for two years before they even met after falling for her formidable character Rachel Zane in Suits.

According to royal commentator Katie Nicholl in Channel 4's upcoming documentary When Harry Met Meghan: A Royal Romance, Harry had told friends that Markle was his 'ideal woman' after becoming a huge fan of the hit legal drama.

So, basically the lucky royal has ended up with his celeb crush. Real-life fairytale, much?

Meghan Markle | ELLE UKpinterest
Getty Images

'He had a crush on Rachel Zane two years before he met Meghan and the reason I know is because I was having drinks with one of his friends,' Nicholl claims in the one-off production detailing the couple's romance and Markle's upbringing and background.

'She [Harry's friend] told me she'd been on a night out with Prince Harry. He was single at the time, so she said, "Harry, who's your ideal girl?" And he said "Meghan Markle from Suits".'

Markle has been playing ambitious paralegal Rachel Zane in the series since 2011, and recently completed filming for season 7.

Last year, the 33-year-old royal eventually asked their mutual friend Markus Anderson, a consultant for Soho House, to set up an introduction - and definitely not a date.

Anderson had been in London with Markle who was supporting close friend Serena Williams at Wimbledon.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | ELLE UKpinterest
Getty Images

Nicholl adds: 'He asked Markus if he could set up, not a date, but an opportunity for them to meet and that happened in one of the private rooms of Soho House.

'There were about seven or eight of them altogether and it was a perfect opportunity for Harry and Meghan to come together in a really informal environment and actually talk.

Markus Anderson and Meghan Markle at the 2017 Invictus Gamespinterest
Getty Images
Markus Anderson and Meghan Markle at the 2017 Invictus Games

'She was funny, feisty, confident and she wasn't swayed or knocked by the fact that he was Prince Harry. She thought he was terribly cute,' she added.

Harry later told friends he thought Markle was a 'cracking girl' and it's believed their long-distance relationship began shortly after their introduction.

The documentary will also chronicle Markle's early career before landing her breakthrough role in Suits, and how the royal family have reacted to their relationship.

When Harry Met Meghan: A Royal Romance airs on Channel 4 on Saturday, 28 October at 9pm.

Headshot of Naomi Gordon
Naomi Gordon

Naomi Gordon is news writer mainly covering entertainment news with a focus on celebrity interviews and television.