The Army and Navy Club was founded in 1837, the year that Queen Victorian acceded to the throne. Membership was initially intended to be for army officers only, but was extended to span members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines when the Duke of Wellington said that he would become neither patron nor member unless this was the case. Known affectionately as The Rag, the club is decorated by pictures celebrating military and naval history as well as a rather racy depiction of Charles II’s mistress Nell Gwynn as Venus, painted by a follower of Sir Peter Lely.