A legendary figure in the modern history of physics, Hawking is known for his work with black holes and relativity, and has authored several best-sellers on science, despite being bound to wheelchair after contracting a motor neurone disease in 1963 at the age of 21.

He broke new ground on the basic laws which govern the universe, including the revelation that black holes have a temperature and produce radiation, now known as Hawking radiation.

Hawking's ashes will be interred next to the remains of Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin at Westminster Abbey in London on June 15.