Professor Hawking 's first wife Jane Hawking was also in attendance and made a plea for a 'big overhaul ' of government policy . Speaking at Motor Neurone Disease Association ( MNDA ) reception at the Buckingham Palace . Prof Hawking was diagnosed with a rare form of motor neurone disease ( MND ) in 1964 at the age of 22 and given just a few years to live . Cumberbatch played the professor in 2003 film The Imitation Game, which won him an Oscar nomination as best actor.
Professor Hawking 's first wife Jane Hawking was also in attendance and made a plea for a 'big overhaul ' of government policy . Speaking at Motor Neurone Disease Association ( MNDA ) reception at the Buckingham Palace . Prof Hawking was diagnosed with a rare form of motor neurone disease ( MND ) in 1964 at the age of 22 and given just a few years to live . Cumberbatch played the professor in 2003 BBC drama 'Hawking ' The actor has been a patron of the charity for eleven years .