mySQL legacy database with Django - error due to incorrect version of mysqlclient using XAMPP

I am getting the following error on trying to install mysqlclient. Note: Python version: Python 3.7.3

ImproperlyConfigured: mysqlclient 1.3.13 or newer is required; you have 0.9.3.

I used the following stackoverflow q/a to help me, but got the above version error. Error loading MySQLdb Module 'Did you install mysqlclient or MySQL-python?'

The official Django docs are very sparse on their instructions and do not even mention the need to install mysql client. I also notice that there are various different suggestions.

I have two questions:

1. What is the best way to connect an existing/legacy mysql database to Django (what steps should I follow before being able to type the final command: python manage.py inspectdb

2. What is the best way to use an existing mysql database and use it with Django.

Note: I currently have XAMPP installed and hope to be able to connect to it on a local host from there.

Fix 1: I have tried a fix that involves installing a wheel, going to this website and downloading the version that seems to correspond best to my python version and 64 bit (https://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/#mysqlclient) but again get the following error:

C:\Users\USERNAME\Desktop\djangottio\djangottio>pip install mysqlclient-1.4.2-cp37-cp37m-win_amd64.whl

RESULTANT ERROR from Fix 1:

mysqlclient-1.4.2-cp37-cp37m-win_amd64.whl is not a supported wheel on this platform.

I have solved fix 1's error (see above) by using this very helpful post: https://stackoverflow.com/a/36158157/5074035

But....on trying the python manage.py inspectdb command it still comes up with the error:

ImproperlyConfigured('mysqlclient 1.3.13 or newer is required; you have %s.' % Database.__version__)
django.core.exceptions.ImproperlyConfigured: mysqlclient 1.3.13 or newer is required;