In the era of not knowing if your favorite British comedy/drama will end abruptly (i.e. cancelled), Christmas has come early for fans of Victoria with the news that series 3 has been commissioned by ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill, before series 2 premieres in America on Sunday, January 14, 2018 as part of PBS Masterpiece. The first two series, which followed Victoria from her accession to the throne to her marriage to Prince Albert, have already proven to be well-received by both critics and audiences who are desperately seeking the ‘next, next Downton Abbey‘.

Creator, Daisy Goodwin, revealed: “Series three will start in 1848 which was a hugely dramatic and eventful time for both the royal family and Europe, with revolutions on the continent and uncertainty around the monarchy. Viewers can expect more drama than ever before in the third series.”

Managing Director of Mammoth Screen (producers of Victoria), Damien Timmer, added: “Jenna Coleman and Tom Hughes shine as Victoria and Albert and it’s an honour to have them back for a third series, which covers a tumultuous period in our country’s history, filled to the brim with royal scandals, political skirmishes and constitutional crises, as new historical figures enter the saga to challenge Victoria and Albert as never before.”

Victoria “Comfort and Joy” airs Christmas Day on ITV and S2 premieres Sunday, January 14, 2018 on PBS Masterpiece.