In a move that fans have been asking for but that we never saw coming, Monique Samuels is officially returning to ‘The Real Housewives of Potomac.’

The news came Saturday morning (June 7) via an exclusive report from PEOPLE who are reporting that the former full-time cast member will return in a friend capacity for season 10.

The former Real Housewives of Potomac star — who famously exited the hit reality series in 2020 — is officially returning for Season 10, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal.

Production for the show is currently underway in Maryland, with last season’s stars Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Dr. Wendy Osefo, Keiarna Stewart and Stacey Rusch all filming again. Samuels will be joining the cast in a Friend capacity.

Her comeback to the series that first made her a fan favorite (and later sparked one of the most talked-about departures in Housewives history) comes at a pivotal time in Samuels’ life.

The 41-year-old Mila Eve Essentials owner finalized her divorce from former NFL offensive tackle Chris Samuels, 48, in September 2023. She and Chris were married for 11 years, and are parents to daughter Milani, 9, and sons Christopher, 12, and Chase, 6.

“Monique’s in a totally different place now, and fans will see that,” a source tells PEOPLE. “She’s excited to show who she is now — not as a wife, not as just a mom, but as a woman starting over and taking on life on her own terms.”

While Monique has yet to issue a statement, she took to her IG stories on Saturday morning with Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ as the backtrack, seemingly leaning into the reports of her return.

Stay tuned! We’ll be addressing this on The Prince of Pop Culture Podcast premiering next week.