Who Were the Bikini-Clad Women in the Stephen Hawking Epstein Photo? Family Breaks Silence
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| Stephen Hawking was seen grinning from ear to ear as he sat between two bikini-clad women |
A recently resurfaced image from the newly released Jeffrey Epstein court documents has reignited online debate after showing the late British physicist Stephen Hawking relaxing on a sun lounger beside two bikini-clad women holding cocktails.
The photograph, taken in 2006 on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, quickly spread across social media after appearing in thousands of pages of material unsealed as part of the broader Epstein investigation. In the image, Hawking is seen reclining in his wheelchair, holding a red drink, with what appears to be a tropical beach setting in the background.
Speculation about the identity of the women intensified as the photo went viral. However, Hawking’s family has now clarified the matter.
According to statements provided to media outlets, the two women were Hawking’s professional British carers. At the time, the renowned theoretical physicist required round-the-clock medical assistance due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the neurodegenerative disease he had lived with for more than five decades. His carers routinely accompanied him during international travel, academic conferences, and public appearances.
Hawking had traveled to St. Thomas to attend a scientific conference funded by Epstein’s foundation, which supported several physics and cosmology events in the early 2000s. Before Epstein’s criminal convictions became widely known, he had established connections within academic and scientific circles, hosting gatherings attended by prominent researchers.
Importantly, no evidence in the released files indicates that Hawking engaged in any criminal or inappropriate conduct. Legal experts caution that the presence of a person’s name or image in the Epstein documents does not imply wrongdoing. The files contain references to numerous public figures, academics, and professionals who interacted with Epstein in varying contexts.
Read more: Some Stephen Hawking's Prophecies Come True - Fact Check
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| While on the trip, the professor was seen having a submarine tour of the island’s seabed |
Hawking, who died in 2018 at age 76, remains one of the most influential physicists of the modern era. His work on black hole radiation and cosmology reshaped theoretical physics, while his resilience in the face of severe disability made him a global symbol of scientific perseverance.
The renewed attention around the photograph underscores a broader issue surrounding the release of large investigative archives: context can be easily lost when images circulate without explanation. In this case, what initially appeared sensational was, according to verified statements, a routine moment during professional travel.
As the Epstein files continue to be examined, observers stress the importance of separating documented evidence from online conjecture. The clarification provided by Hawking’s family offers a reminder that viral imagery does not always tell the full story.
