10/10 ITV period drama 'better than Downton Abbey' is free to stream now

Period drama lovers have been raving about a beloved ITV television series which fans have hailed the "greatest love story ever". The royal drama series Victoria is based on the life and reign of Queen Victoria (played by Jenna Coleman) between 1837 and 1901, the second-longest reign of any British monarch in UK history. The drama follows the early life of the young queen, from her ascension to the throne at the age of 18 after the death of King William IV to her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert (Tom Hughes).

The series explores her journey from an inexperienced young woman to a powerful monarch, balancing her royal duties with her personal life and relationships. The show highlights her relationships with key figures such as Prime Minister Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell) and Prince Albert as well as the political and social landscape throughout her reign.

The 2016 drama also covered Victoria's struggles to balance her queenly role as the youngest monarch with her duties to her husband and children while the Anglo-Afghan War powers on.

At the beginning of the third series, Victoria and Albert have six children while navigating difficulties in their marriage before the onset of Albert's health issues. This was the first role Jenna landed after deciding to leave Doctor Who.

Much of Victoria was filmed in the heart of Yorkshire, using interiors of Castle Howard to double as Kensington Palace and Harewood House standing in for Buckingham Palace. Bramham Park and Wentworth Woodhouse were also used for both royal residences.

Critics have hailed the series since its launch, with the ITV show boasting an impressive 7% on the popular critics' website, Rotten Tomatoes. Despite being loved by viewers up and down the country, the series was shelved for the foreseeable future back in 2021.

In July 2021, ITV clarified that there were no immediate plans to renew the show. A TV insider told The Sun at the time: "This was the show which turned Jenna Coleman into a household name and gave ITV one of its biggest hits.

"When it first launched five years ago it was getting seven million in the ratings and beat the BBC's Sunday night period epic, Poldark.

"But there are so many challenges facing bosses who've been weighing up a fourth series - not least the availability of their central star who's now one of the country's most in-demand actors."

Despite being shelved, fans have showered the period drama with praise online with one user branded it the "greatest love story ever". They wrote: "This has been the most amazing series since Downton Abbey I have watched.

"I laughed, I cried, I got angry. I felt every emotion humanly possible through watching it." Awarding it 10 out of 10, another agreed: "Rather captivating, I loved it. Jenna is every inch a queen. I love her portrayal of Victoria, she has some presence and a definite strength of character."

A third gushed: "Absolutely fabulous. Everyone in the cast is superbly cast and seem comfortable in their role. It's heartbreaking knowing that Albert died so young leaving the queen with nine children."