Famous guests attend Prof Stephen Hawking's funeral
- Published
Actor Eddie Redmayne gave a biblical reading at the funeral, conducted by Reverend Dr Cally Hammond, Dean of Gonville and Caius
A host of famous faces turned out for Prof Stephen Hawking's funeral in Cambridge.
Hundreds of people gathered in the city for the private service at the university church, Great St Mary's.
Prof Hawking, who died aged 76, had many friends and admirers in the entertainment world, and made cameos in a number of productions.
Eddie Redmayne, who played the scientist in 2014 biopic The Theory of Everything, gave an address.
Other guests from the worlds of music, comedy, film and television also attended. Actress Felicity Jones, who starred opposite Redmayne in the 2014 biopic arrived at the funeral with her partner Charles Guard. She portrayed Hawking's first wife, Jane, in the critically-lauded film.
Model and actress Lily Cole, a Cambridge graduate, mourned the death of her friend at the service, which included an address from Astronomer Royal Martin Rees
Queen guitarist Brian May and his wife, actress Anita Dobson, were among the 500 invited guests who heard a eulogy from the professor's eldest son, Robert. Others who had been on the guest list include SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and playwright Alan Bennett.
Newsreader Charlotte Hawkins, whose father also suffered from motor neurone disease, arrived at Great St Mary's where the church bell tolled 76 times - once for each year of the professor's life. Prof Hawking's ashes will be interred at Westminster Abbey later this year.
Comedian and Stargazing Live host Dara O Briain met his boyhood hero Prof Hawking during filming of a 2015 documentary. O Briain was in Cambridge for the funeral, which was followed by a private reception at Trinity College.
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