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VICTORIA star Rufus Sewell will make a shock comeback to ITV’s royal period drama as Lord Melbourne.
The ex-Prime Minister, a former love interest of The Queen, left towards the end of the last series after she wed.
But fans will be thrilled to learn Lord M is back to cause tensions. Writer Daisy Goodwin said: “We were lucky to have him come back. Things are different for him now Victoria has married.”
Tom Hughes, who plays her husband Prince Albert, said of the friction: “It’s not normal for a monarch to write to a former PM for counsel.”
In the new series, The Queen (Jenna Coleman) struggles to regain her power after she was forced to let Albert take over following the birth of their daughter.
Their regal bust-ups at the palace were as legendary as their passionate romps.
Daisy compared the show’s stars Jenna and Tom – said to be dating in real life – to Hollywood’s stormiest couple, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
She said: “The chemistry on screen was like Taylor and Burton. They have the same electricity – they love each other but row all the time.
“They were totally convincing as a married couple.”
The new series also features Dame Diana Rigg as The Duchess of Buccleuch, who steals the show with her put-downs, like Maggie Smith’s in Downton Abbey. ¬ Victoria launches on Sunday on ITV at 9.05pm. Make Or Break, Bromans.