ITV already knows the perfect series to replace "Downton Abbey" after it airs its season 6 finale, which will also be the show's conclusion. The network recently revealed through a press release posted in its website that they will be producing an eight-hour landmark drama that will center on the early life of Queen Victoria, one of the most controversial monarchs of the U.K.
The series, titled "Victoria," will be written by popular novelist Daisy Goodwin who will dabble in screenwriting for the first time. She will also be the show's executive producer, together with Damien Timmer and Dan McCulloch.
Goodwin claimed that her fascination with Queen Victoria started when she began reading all her diaries back at university.
"Victoria was the first woman to have it all; she had a passionate marriage, nine children and was grandmother to most of Europe's royalty, but she also had a job, being Queen of the most important nation in the world," the novelist said. "It wasn't easy; her reign was beset by scandal and sleaze and it was only by sheer force of personality that she prevailed. Her diaries, all sixty two million words of them, give an astonishingly vivid picture of her transformation from rebellious teenager into, to my mind, our greatest Queen."
According to history, Queen Victoria's reign was tainted with controversy from the start. She earned the public ire in 1839 with the death of her mother's lady-in-waiting, Lady Flora Rawdon-Hastings, an event which was mired with intrigue since the queen accused her of being impregnated by Sir John Conroy.
There were also intrigues surrounding the refusal of Robert Peel to become her Prime Minister, which led to a constitutional crisis in the kingdom.
The new series will be developed by Mammoth Screen's creative director Rebecca Keane.
"Victoria" the TV series is currently completing its roster of cast, and will start filming in several locations all over the U.K. by September. The release date is expected to be announced soon.
