Judi Dench and Siân Phillips become the first female members of the Garrick Club

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Judi Dench and Siân Phillips are the first female members of the Garrick Club since its foundation in 1831.

The private members’ club voted to admit women in May after a legal analysis of its rules found that there were no explicit provisions prohibiting women from joining.

Until now, no woman was allowed to enter Garrick’s building without an invitation and without a male escort.

On Monday evening, Dench and Philips were granted accelerated membership at the club’s annual general meeting.

Dench, 89, is a renowned actress known for a long career in theatre and film. She won an Oscar in 1998 for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in the film Shakespeare in Love and two Emmy Awards for her roles in Mrs Brown And The last of the blonde sex bombs.

Phillips, 91, is known for her early career on stage, playing title roles in Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler and George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan. She won a Bafta and Royal Television Society award for her portrayal of Livia in the 1976 BBC television series I, Claudius.

Other women nominated as potential members included classicist Mary Beard, former Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Channel 4 news presenter Cathy Newman and new Labour MP Ayesha Hazarika.

The process of joining is complex and can take between two and five years, which had raised fears among members that the club would not be able to admit women before 2026.

However, according to clause 15 of the club’s rules, “the general board may, in its sole discretion, elect four members each year, taking into account their public prominence or distinction.” The club may use this rule to add four women to its membership list by the end of this year.

The 193-year-old Garrick Club in Covent Garden was named after the 18th-century actor and playwright David Garrick and was created as a meeting place for actors and patrons of the arts.

The guard At the beginning of the year, the British Prime Minister published the club’s membership list, which includes the King, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Promotion Secretary Michael Gove, musician Sting, and actors Brian Cox and Benedict Cumberbatch.

MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore, Cabinet Secretary Simon Case and several judges subsequently resigned from the club, which had repeatedly blocked the admission of women since the 1960s.

During the vote in May, members listened to arguments for and against voting for women for two hours, reported The times.

One member who supported the inclusion of women said, “A remarkable club will become even more remarkable and will continue to thrive rather than die.”

Actors Stephen Fry and Nigel Havers as well as former Supreme Court judge Lord Sumpton are said to have spoken out in favour of admitting women.

The vote took place at the Connaught Rooms in London and members who could not attend in person were allowed to participate remotely.