Dames Maggie Smith (left) and Judi Dench star in Ladies in Lavender

Legendary British actresses Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith are both turning 70 this month.

Born in 1934, one in the north, one in the south of England, the pair have seemed to monopolise the roles of iconic British females of stage and screen, from Miss Jean Brodie to Queen Victoria, for more than 50 years.

They have starred together on a handful of occasions, including David Hare's The Breath of Life on stage and the Merchant Ivory film A Room With A View.

They are currently playing sisters on screen in Charles Dance's directorial debut Ladies in Lavender. So how do these acting greats compare?

DAME JUDI DENCH Born York, on 9 December, 1934 Training Studied at London's Central School of Speech and Drama. Stage debut Playing Ophelia in the Old Vic production of Hamlet in Liverpool (1957). Screen debut The Third Secret (1964) Notable film roles 'M' in GoldenEye (1995) and subsequent Bond films, Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown (1997), Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love (1998), Iris Murdoch in Iris (2001) Notable theatre roles Playing Sally Bowles in the 1967 premiere of Cabaret on London's West End; Winning two Olivier Awards simultaneously for Absolute Hell and A Little Night Music in 1996. Career high Being nominated for Academy Awards four times in five years. Film awards Five Bafta awards, including two for best actress; best supporting actress Oscar for Shakespeare in Love (1998). Marriage Married actor Michael Williams in 1971. Williams died of cancer in January 2001. The couple have one daughter, actress Finty Williams. Household name Gained a popular following as Laura Dalton in the 80s sitcom A Fine Romance, alongside husband Michael Williams. Trivia Was sent a consoling telegram by the Queen when her daughter accidentally burned down the family home. Dench on Dench "I don't know how you assess acting... it is so much about personality."

DAME MAGGIE SMITH Born Ilford, east London on 28 December, 1934 Training Studied drama at the Oxford Playhouse School. Stage debut Playing Viola in Twelfth Night with the Oxford University Dramatic Society (1952). Screen debut Nowhere to Go (1959) Notable film roles Desdemona in Othello (1965), Jean Brodie in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), Charlotte Bartlett in A Room With A View (1985), Constance Trentham in Gosford Park (2001) Notable theatre roles Playing Lettice Douffet in Peter Shaffer's Lettice and Lovage in 1988, in a role specially written for her. Reprised the role on Broadway in 1990, winning a Tony Award for best actress. Career high Winning the best actress Oscar in 1970 for her role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Film awards Five Bafta awards, including four for best actress; best supporting actress for California Suite (1978). Marriage Married actor Robert Stephens in 1967. The couple had two children, actors Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin. They separated in 1973. Later married playwright Beverley Cross in 1975. He died in March 1998. Household name Gained a popular following playing Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter film adaptations. Trivia Sir Ian McKellen dressed up as Dame Maggie when hosting the US TV entertainment show Saturday Night Live in March 2002. Smith on Smith "I don't tolerate fools but then they don't tolerate me, so I am spiky."

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