For the first time in its 193 years of existence, London's oldest men's gentlemen's club, Garrick, has opened its doors to women. The decision was made by club members, including King Charles III, Sting and Benedict Cumberbatch. This is reported by daily.afisha.ru with reference to the BBC.
Until recently, women could only visit Garrick by invitation and accompanied by men. However, in March 2024, a group of prominent women lawyers came forward to demand that this outdated policy be changed.
Their initiative found support. Almost 60% of club members voted for the rule changes. It is worth noting that previously, more than two-thirds of the vote was required to admit women to the club, but under the threat of mass exodus (more than 200 members threatened to leave Garrick), club members made concessions.
According to The Guardian, a list of potential new club members has already been formed. Among them is actress Juliet Stevenson, who expressed her interest in “sharing ideas and challenging” other club members.
Founded in 1831, Garrick was originally intended as a meeting place for the British aristocracy and actors. A recent review of the club's charter showed that there were never any formal barriers to women joining.
Today, Garrick consists of about 1 500 men, including politicians, businessmen, and artists such as Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, and Hugh Bonneville. At various times, members of the club included Laurence Olivier, H.G. Wells, Henry Irving and Prince Philip.