Former Doctor Who star Jenna Coleman is to play Queen Victoria in a new TV drama.

The actress, who quit as the Timelord's assistant Clara Oswald last year (15), will play the royal in upcoming British series Victoria, which chronicles the Queen's accession to the throne and her relationship to her husband, Prince Albert, played by Tom Hughes.

Coleman announced she was leaving Doctor Who during a radio interview last year (15), telling the BBC, "It was emotional. It's been in the works for a very long time. Steven (Moffat, executive producer) and I sat down a long time ago - a year, year and a half ago - and tried to work out the best place to do it and the best place in which to tell a really good story.

"Hopefully that's what we've done, I think it's really, really cool."