A resurfaced photo of Stephen Hawking with two bikini-clad women has sparked questions. Here’s who they were, where it was taken, and what the family says.
The estate declined to explain why the women were dressed in swimsuits at the time or whether such attire was typical during social events. (Photo: DoJ)
A decades-old photograph showing Stephen Hawking smiling beside two bikini-clad women has resurfaced after appearing in newly released Jeffrey Epstein-related files, triggering widespread online speculation. The image, first published by a British tabloid, has raised a single, persistent question: who were the two women, and what was the context behind the photo?
The picture, reportedly taken in 2006, shows the world-renowned physicist seated in his wheelchair while two women in swimwear stand beside him holding brightly coloured drinks. The image does not contain any indication of misconduct, and no wrongdoing has been alleged against Hawking.
The identities of the two women remain undisclosed. According to Hawking’s estate, they were long-term caregivers who were part of the medical team responsible for his round-the-clock care. Officials from the Department of Justice redacted their faces before releasing the image, citing victim-protection guidelines.
The estate declined to explain why the women were dressed in swimsuits at the time or whether such attire was typical during social events. However, no evidence suggests the women were anything other than carers assisting Hawking during a public gathering.
A spokesperson for the Hawking estate confirmed that the photograph was taken in 2006 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, following a scientific symposium on quantum cosmology.
Hawking had just delivered a lecture at the event when he posed for photographs with attendees and staff. The symposium took place on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, close to Little Saint James, Epstein’s private island.
Epstein attended the same conference and helped organise the event through his foundation. The gathering included more than 20 internationally recognised scientists and focused on advanced theoretical physics. Epstein funded the symposium months before he faced his first criminal charge.
The Hawking Estate did not answer questions about the nature of Hawking’s relationship with Epstein. Public records show Hawking attended the conference as a guest speaker, not as an organiser or social associate.
Hawking’s family issued a strong statement rejecting any suggestion of inappropriate behaviour.
“Professor Hawking made some of the greatest contributions to physics in the 20th century while at the same time being the longest-known survivor of motor neurone disease, a debilitating condition which left him reliant on a ventilator, voice synthesiser, wheelchair and round-the-clock medical care. Any insinuation of inappropriate conduct on his part is wrong and far-fetched in the extreme,” the report quoted a spokesperson for the Hawking family.
The family emphasised that Hawking lived with motor neurone disease (ALS) for more than five decades and depended entirely on caregivers for mobility, communication, and daily needs.
The image emerged as part of a broader release of Epstein-related documents. The DOJ stated that reviewers were instructed to redact information only to protect victims and their families, and that prominent individuals were not shielded from disclosure.
Although the photograph has gone viral, it offers no evidence of wrongdoing and provides no indication of inappropriate behaviour by Hawking.
Stephen Hawking passed away in March 2018 at the age of 76. His scientific legacy remains defined by groundbreaking work on black holes, cosmology, and the nature of time. Supporters and scientists have urged the public to view the resurfaced image within its full medical and professional context rather than through speculation driven by unrelated scandals.
