Skip to content

Stephen Hawking: A life in pictures

BBC Professor Stephen Hawking on 'Desert Island Discs', 1992.BBC
Stephen Hawking, who was born in 1942, studied physics in Oxford and later went on to Cambridge for his postgraduate research in cosmology.
AFP Stephen Hawking at his wedding to Jane Wilde in 1965AFP
At the age of 22, he was diagnosed with a rare form of motor neurone disease. As he was preparing to marry his first wife Jane (pictured), doctors predicted he did not have long to live. They were married for 26 years and went on to have three children together.
PA 1985 photo of Stephen HawkingPA
He used a wheelchair and was largely unable to speak except through a voice synthesiser. Hawking shot to fame with his 1988 book A Brief History of Time, which sold over 10 million copies.
Hawking and Sue Lawley
The physicist appeared on Desert Island Discs in 1992 with Sue Lawley. His chosen luxury was crème brûlée
Reuters Stephen Hawking and his new bride Elaine Mason pose for pictures after the blessing of their wedding at St. Barnabus Church September 16, 1995Reuters
Hawking later went on to marry one of his nurses, Elaine Mason, in 1995. They were married for 11 years before they divorced.
Stephen Hawking and Benedict Cumberbatch
In 2004, Benedict Cumberbatch became the first actor to portray the physicist on screen. The BBC TV film, Hawking, was critically acclaimed.
EPA Professor Stephen Hawking delivers a speech entitled "Why We Should Go Into Space" at the The George Washington University in Washington, DC, USA, 21 April 2008.EPA
The world-famous physicist often delivered lectures at universities around the world, like this one he gave at the George Washington University in 2008.
AFP/Getty Hawking met many famous world figures, including Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg in 2008AFP/Getty
Hawking met many famous world figures, including Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg in 2008
Getty Images Stephen Hawking receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from US President Barack Obama during a ceremony in the East Room at the White House on August 12, 2009.Getty Images
He won many awards in the fields of mathematics and science and in 2009, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-US President Barack Obama.
Reuters Britain"s Queen Elizabeth (L) meets Stephen Hawking during a reception for Leonard Cheshire Disability charity at St James"s Palace in London May 29, 2014.Reuters
He also went on to meet Queen Elizabeth in 2014 during a charity event at St James' Palace.
Getty Images British actor Eddie Redmayne (R) pose with British scientist Stephen Hawking (L) at the UK premiere of the film 'The Theory of Everything'Getty Images
His life story was made into a 2014 film, The Theory of Everything, starring Eddie Redmayne who is pictured here with Hawking.
AFP In this file photo taken on March 24, 2017, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, 75, speaks to an audience by hologram (L) in Hong Kong, beamed live from his office in Cambridge, England.AFP
In 2017, Hawking spoke to an audience in Hong Kong by hologram, beamed live from his office in Cambridge. After his death, his children said his legacy would "live on for many years".