The Imitation Game star portrayed the renowned physicist in 2003 drama Hawking and he subsequently became a patron of the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) after working with the charity to research his character's condition.

The pair came back together for a royal reception with Anne, Princess Royal, who hosted an event in aid of MNDA at the London palace, and they posed for pictures together.

Cumberbatch was accompanied by his pregnant wife, Sophie Hunter, and other guests at the event included entertainer Michael Ball and funnywoman Victoria Wood.

The actor's pal Eddie Redmayne won an Oscar last month (Feb15) for playing Hawking in acclaimed movie The Theory Of Everything.