Actress Meghan Markle was being eyed up by producers as a potential Bond girl before her relationship with Britain's Prince Harry was made public, it has been claimed.

Prior to becoming one half of one of the world's most headline-grabbing romances, Meghan was a successful actress, and had roles in movies as well as her long-running part in hit TV show Suits.

When she confirmed her engagement to Harry, Meghan revealed she would be giving up her acting career to devote all her time to new royal and philanthropic pursuits. But, according to Britain's The Sun newspaper, producers of the James Bond franchise had her in mind for a role in the next 007 film, nicknamed Bond 25, alongside Daniel Craig as the suave spy.

“Meghan fits the role of a Bond girl perfectly. She’s glamorous and sexy and a good actress," a source told the publication. "The role more recently has gone to actresses deemed to be rising stars, and Meghan certainly was seen as that before her relationship with Harry became public.

"The brief was to find a glamorous rising star, specifically someone American or Canadian."

The insider added that Baywatch actress Ilfenesh Hadera, 32, was also on the shortlist last year, alongside Meghan and three other names.

"But the minute her relationship to Harry came to light they assumed she was out of the running so it soon became a list of four," the source added. "Her engagement effectively spelt an end to her acting career too so that was the final blow."

Meghan has just spent Christmas with Harry and his royal relatives at Sandringham House, and will no doubt be seeing in 2018 with her new fiance as well.

In a blog post on her now defunct lifestyle website The Tig back in 2016, Meghan opened up about her New Year's resolutions, and admitted they are the same each and every year.

"Stop biting my nails. Stop swearing," she wrote. "These make my New Year’s resolution list nearly (AKA actually every) single year. The swearing comes in lulls triggered by being overworked or feeling mighty cheeky after a couple drinks. And when it comes to the biting of the nails – well, it still happens with a turbulent flight or a stressful day.

"It’s unladylike. But then again, so is the swearing. Dammit."