Stephen Hawking’s tangled love life
<p>Stephen Hawking will always be remembered by the science world for his revolutionary work as an astrophysicist, but there were times when the legendary professor’s personal life was just as interesting as the complex theories he was working on.</p>
<p>Failed marriages, divided families, obsessed followers and accusations of abuse dogged Hawking for the course of his life, before he passed away yesterday at age 76.</p>
<p>1963 was the year that changed Stephen Hawking’s life forever, where he met Jane Wilde at a New Year’s Eve party, shortly after he learned he had motor neurone disease.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr">stephen hawking on his wedding day, 1966 <a href="https://t.co/aJmw9kUMnE">pic.twitter.com/aJmw9kUMnE</a></p>
— vintage pics (@60spics) <a href="https://twitter.com/60spics/status/973871473432686592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
<p>Within two years the couple were married and became a family, having three children. </p>
<p>The problems for the couple were believed to have began after the publication of <em>A Brief History of Time</em>. Accolades and worldwide fame flowed from this landmark work, but so too did extra attention from unwanted admirers.</p>
<p>“I rather felt that the family had been left behind. To me, Stephen was my husband and the father of my children; one does not say to one’s husband, ‘Oh, you’re so clever! I must worship the ground under your feet, or in this case, wheels’,” Ms Wilde said in a 2014 interview with <em>Radio Times</em>.</p>
<p>The marriage was over by 1990, and Hawking develop a new relationship with his nurse Elaine Mason.</p>
<p>This marriage was hardly smooth sailing however, with Hawking’s children accusing their stepmother of restricting access to their father and further tension sparked in 2003 after there were accusations of physical abuse levelled at Ms Mason.</p>
<p>After 11 years of marriage Ms Mason filed for divorce in 2006, although allegations of cheating were promptly denied by one of Mr Hawking’s spokespeople.</p>
<p>“He is far too busy. This is just a distraction which is really annoying. We don’t have any time for any of this. We have no interest in any of the gossip that is going on,” was the official response.</p>
<p>Neither of the women of Mr Hawking’s life have issued a statement following his passing, but his children said the following yesterday.</p>
<p>“We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today. He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years,” the statement said. “His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humour inspired people across the world.</p>
<p>“He once said, ‘It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love.’ We will miss him forever.”</p>
<p>What are your thoughts?</p>
