This was rumoured to be one of Stephen Hawking's biggest regrets in life

Stephen Hawking, widely regarded as one of the greatest minds to have ever lived, has died at the age of 76.

To celebrate the brilliance and resilience of Hawking's remarkable life, some of his most wonderful quotes and moments are circulating on social media

Among them is one pretty special rumour, first reported in in his 2012 biography Stephen Hawking: An Unfettered Mind by Kitty Ferguson.

While discussing Hawking's rise to fame, Ferguson claimed that Hawking had "carelessly ran over Prince Charles' toes" while demonstrating the capabilities of his wheelchair, continuing:

Soon rumour had it that running over toes was not always accidental, and eventually it would get round that one of Hawking's regrets in life was not having an opportunity to run over Margaret Thatcher's toes. 

People who annoyed him, it was said, found themselves a target. 

'A malicious rumour,' insists Hawking. 'I'll run over anyone who repeats it.'

The people of Twitter are inspired.

If true, some seem to regard Hawking's rumoured regret as equal in value to his ground-breaking work on singularities, his demonstration that back holes emit radiation and his co-discovery of the four laws of black holes mechanics.

Rest in peace, Professor Hawking.

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