On Saturday morning, many stars gathered for the funeral of the late Stephen Hawking, who died two weeks ago at 76. The service was held at Great St. Mary’s Church, just steps away from Cambridge University’s Gonville & Caius College, where Hawking spent more than half a century as a research fellow. Friends and family were all in attendance, including actor Eddie Redmayne, who won an Oscar for playing Hawking in 2014’s The Theory of Everything.
Redmayne gave the assembled guests a reading from Ecclesiastes 3.1-11. He was among the first celebrities to publicly share their condolences for Hawking’s death, telling People, “We have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet. My love and thoughts are with his extraordinary family.”
Hawking’s eldest son, Robert, Astronomer Royal Martin Rees, and former student Fay Dowker gave Hawking’s eulogy, the BBC reported. Two bouquets of flowers were placed on the casket, one of white lilies to symbolize the universe, and one of white roses, which represented the polar star. The bells of the church rang out 76 times for each year of Hawking’s life.
Other celebrity guests included fellow Theory of Everything star Felicity Jones, Queen guitarist Brian May, Elon Musk, Lily Cole, James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, playwright Alan Bennett, and comedian Dara O Briain, who met Hawking during the filming of a 2015 documentary.
“On behalf of our whole family we want to express our huge gratitude to all the wonderful tributes to our father and to those who have sent us messages of condolence,” Hawking’s children, Lucy, Robert, and Timothy, said in a statement. “Our father lived and worked in Cambridge for over 50 years. He was an integral and highly recognizable part of the university and the city. For this reason, we have decided to hold his funeral in the city that he loved so much and which loved him.
“Our father’s life and work meant many things to many people, both religious and non-religious. So, the service will be both inclusive and traditional, reflecting the breadth and diversity of his life. We would like to thank Gonville & Caius College, the University of Cambridge, and Trinity College, Cambridge for their assistance with our father’s funeral service.”
