A photograph showing the late physicist Stephen Hawking with two women in bikinis has surfaced among documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, prompting responses from Hawking's family about the image's context.

The photograph shows Hawking appearing to smile while positioned between two unidentified women holding what appear to be cocktails. The image was among materials that emerged from court filings related to the convicted sex offender Epstein.

Court documents also revealed communications in which Epstein and an associate made inappropriate jokes referencing Hawking and underage individuals, according to the filings. The released materials have drawn attention to the connection between the renowned Cambridge theoretical physicist and Epstein.

Hawking's family has addressed questions about the photograph and the physicist's association with Epstein. The family's response comes as the image and related documents have generated scrutiny about the nature of Hawking's interactions with Epstein.

The photograph and related materials were part of a broader release of court documents connected to civil litigation involving Epstein. Hawking, who died in 2018, was widely regarded as one of the world's leading theoretical physicists and cosmologists.