Late Stephen Hawking was one of the world’s most prominent physicists, but he was also a doting father, with three children born between 1967 and 1979. One of those kids is Timothy Hawking – the third child of the greatest physicist of the era.
While there had been speculations around Tim’s biological father, Jane, his mother denied all the allegations, affirming the fact that Tim infact is Stephen’s last born child.
So who actually is Timothy Hawking? Here we dive deep down into Tim’s life from personal to professional, we have everything you need to know.
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FAQ about Timothy Hawking
How old is Timothy Hawking?
Born on April 15, 1979, Timothy is 44 years old as of now.
Who is the biological father of Stephen Hawking's Third Child?
When Jane and Stephen parted ways, Timothy was 10 years old. Amid all the controversies, Jane (Stephen’s ex-wife) claims there’s no doubt Stephen is Tim’s dad.
What does Timothy Hawking do for a Living?
According to his LinkedIn profile, Tim works as a Brand Development Specialist for Hawking Estate.
Is Timothy married?
There’s no information regarding his marital life.
What's Tim's Net worth?
Although he is a brand development specialist, nothing is written about his actual net worth.
Timothy’s Early Life Background
Timothy Hawking was born on April 15, 1979, in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. He was born to parents Stephen Hawking and Jane Wilde Hawking. His father Stephen was a world-known physicist, cosmologist, and author. Besides, he was the director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge. Stephen was mainly known for his contribution to cosmology and physics.
Also, Timothy’s mother Jane is a woman of education. She has written a book called “Making a Trip to Infinity: My Life with Stephen“. The book was later adapted to make the movie The Theory of Everything that we all are aware of.
Timothy grew up with his siblings Lucy Hawking and Robert Hawking. Even though he regards Stephen as his dad, there has been a lot of speculation on whether he is the biological son of him or not. This all emerged when Jane and Stephen parted ways after 30 years of togetherness.
There were cheating rumours of Jane having an affair with Jonathon Hellyer Jones. Her relationship with Jonathon raised suspicion that Tim may not be Stephen’s biological son. These allegations affected Tim’s childhood as he struggled to have a cordial relationship with the Hawking family.
Growing up With Siblings Robert and Lucy Hawking
Unlike Tim who has been slightly under the radar, his other two siblings Robert and Lucy are accomplished at their profession. Born in May 1967, Tim’s older brother Robert is a software engineer who has companies like Microsoft on his resume. He has a wife and a son and they currently live in Seattle. Like his dad, he wanted to become an aspiring physicist when he was young. But, he ended up becoming a software engineer instead. Not much of a surprise coming from Hawking.
On the other hand, his sister Lucy Hawking has worked in the footsteps of her mother. Lucy is a novelist and professor in the spotlight among Stephen’s three children. According to her website, she has penned two adult novels and three science-based stories for children. She works as a columnist and philanthropist. Besides, she also used to teach Russian and French at Oxford University.
Unlike his siblings, Tim never experienced a happy childhood. Timothy only got a chance to have a two-way conversation with his father after celebrating his fifth birthday. It was because of the drawl of the speech box. Once in an interview, he stated:
“My dad was able to speak with his own, natural voice for those first years, but it was incredibly difficult to understand what he was saying- particularly for me at such a young age. As a 3 year old, I had no understanding of what he was saying. I didn’t really have any communication with him for the first five years of my life.”
Career Breakthrough: What Does He Do For Living?
Timothy is a graduate of the Exert University of England. He graduated with a degree in French and Spanish language. Further, he went to the University of Birmingham to continue his education. During this tenure, he worked for some small companies in the UK as an account manager and collected some real work experience.
After he reaped some experience, Tim joined LEGO as a loyalty executive. Now, he works for the global toy firm LEGO, most recently as a brand development manager in London. According to his LinkedIn profile, the marketing job involves boosting LEGO’s brand through long-term strategies and partnerships with the firms. For the past five years, however, he has been working as a brand development specialist for ‘Hawking Estate.’ He has used his decade-long experience to build a comprehensive brand identity on behalf of his father to protect his name and works.
Unlike his dad, Tim holds a low profile when it comes to his professional life.
Relationship with Dad Stephen Hawking
In a rare interview, Timothy admitted that he was unable to communicate with his father up to the age of 5 years due to his father’s deteriorating speech. Despite being unable to have proper communication with his father in his early days, he has shared about the close bond he shared with his late dad Stephen in an exclusive interview.
His regular visit to his dad’s place has certainly made his father a happy man. Timothy has revealed how happy his father was when he turned 60.
In the same interview, he also revealed how the father-son duo used to play chess together and how his dad used to give a tough competition and wasn’t certainly the easiest opponent at any game, particularly chess.
In a BBC documentary, Tim disclosed that as a kid he used to play pranks on his father which includes adding swear words to his speech program and using his specialized wheelchair as a go-kart. Their relationship improved with the passing years.
There have been rumours and controversies as to whether Timothy is the biological son of Stephen Hawking or the son of Jonathon Hellyer Jones. Nonetheless, Stephen is the man whom Timothy has picked to call father and has hired his surname, Hawking. The father-son duo shared a cordial relationship. And, even the DNA test cannot change that.
The Demise of His Father Stephen Hawking
Some relationships are not connected by blood but are by heart and soul. The same is true in the case of Stephen and Timothy Hawking. Though Timothy is not considered the biological son of Stephen, they share a heartwarming relationship until the last days of Stephen. Stephen Hawking died at the age of 76 on March 14, 2018. He died peacefully at his home in Cambridge according to his family. His demise is a great loss for the family as well as for the World.
Not caring about the controversies and speculations that have come up with time, Hawking’s family has fully accepted Timothy as their brother, not minding if he was their half-brother. All of Stephen’s children are united and have stood by each other and their father even up until his demise on March 14, 2018.
Timothy is Continuing the Family Legacy
As a tribute to his late dad Stephen, Timothy along with his sister Lucy had promoted Stephen’s final book titled Brief Answers to the Big Questions. The most remarkable thing about Stephen was not the longevity of his life and awards but the way he inspired the world. He proved being physically incapacitated is not a blockade for talent to prosper.
Where is Tim Now?
Nothing much about his marital status, his net worth, and social media presence is known. Despite being the son of a renowned scientist, he has maintained a very low-key profile life. The last time he appeared on a TV show was in Good Morning Britain, where Tim and Lucy appeared together to discuss about their father’s legacy. Currently, he is occupied in his role as Brand Development Specialist for Hawking Family Estate Executorship. However, his social media suggests that he is exploring options for a smoother transition to a new vocation.
The world wants to know the truth via a DNA test!