Before divorcing in 2021, Bill Gates and his wife spent 27 years together. They raised children who are now grown-ups, charting their paths in the world while facing the challenges of being accused of nepotism due to their famous parents.

Bill Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, welcomed three children during their marriage: Phoebe, Rory, and Jennifer Gates. Here’s a quick look at each child, from youngest to oldest.

Phoebe Gates

While Phoebe’s father founded one of the biggest technology companies, Microsoft, she is learning to chart her own path while grappling with the “nepo baby” label. The 22-year-old is making a name for herself with 242,000 followers and 2.2 million likes on TikTok.

She has also launched her own podcast, “The Burnouts,” which she co-hosts with business partner Sophia Kianni. The show debuted on April 1, 2025, and is relatable to people in their 20s who are just starting out in their careers.

The pair, who were former college roommates, are also working on a startup called Phia. Phoebe explained, “We’re building out an idea to help make fashion more sustainable. We have so much planned for this year.”

On their podcast, the co-hosts discuss various topics. During the debut episode, Phoebe addressed feeling “such a desire to prove myself” amid the “nepo baby” label. She confessed, “I was like, I have so much privilege. I’m a nepo baby,” and added how her “insecurity” had built up after being labeled with such a term.

Previously, Bill’s daughter revealed that the worst part of being a celebrity is the false opinions people hold about her life, family, and father. Phoebe said the downside of posting on social media was the “misconceptions and conspiracy theories.”

She explained, “I’m pretty realistic that people start following me because of my family name. And people probably find it funny to see my dad being a goof and playing Boxbollen.” Phoebe continued, “But once they follow me, they stick around, and I think some of that is because of the issues that I post about, like women’s health. And honestly, TikTok is fun.”

In 2024, she completed her degree in human biology but has since shifted her focus to sustainable fashion. Her mother inspired her to believe she could succeed in the fashion industry after seeing Stella McCartney’s achievements, despite having Sir Paul McCartney as her father.

Phoebe revealed, “Her and my mom are actually good friends. Even when I was little she would send me stuff and little notes and I’d be so excited. I’ve been asking my mom forever and ever if I could meet with her.”

She said she felt connected to Stella because she was able to use her platform and decided, “‘OK, I have this immense privilege, now I’m going to use it to leverage something.'”

Besides tackling the nepotism stigma, Phoebe has also defended her former interracial relationship.

In 2023, the social media influencer responded to the racist abuse she faced for dating a Black man, Robert Ross.

She had first confirmed their relationship the year before by posting several since-deleted Instagram images of them being cozy.

Instead of receiving support, some people bashed their relationship, and in 2023, trolls left negative comments on the couple’s photos.

Some criticized Phoebe for dating a person of color, while others accused him of dating her for money.

Then a college student at Stanford University, Bill Gates‘s daughter called out “the misconceptions and conspiracy theories about my family and my relationship with my boyfriend.”

She said, “It’s 2023. I’m done being memed for being in an interracial relationship.”

Phoebe, who grew up in a $131 million mansion in Medina, Washington, said she hopes being open on social media will end any “misconceptions” people may have about her and her family.

According to his Instagram, Ross is also a Stanford alum.

The former couple has since broken up, and Phoebe removed their pictures from her Instagram.

In late 2023, she posted a photo posing next to her new partner, Arthur Donald, during a Paris getaway. They were seen together again in September 2024 while attending the Albie Awards.

According to reports, Donald also comes from a famous and wealthy family, as he is Paul McCartney’s grandson. At that point, the couple had been together for about a year. In 2018, Donald appeared to have dated Ava Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon’s daughter.

One thing Donald shares with McCartney is that, while The Beatles singer holds an honorary degree from Yale, his grandson attended the university. Next up is Phoebe’s only brother.

Rory Gates

In 2017, Melinda wrote a piece about raising a feminist boy while celebrating Rory’s birthday. She revealed that she had spent a lot of time imagining what he would be like as an adult, and she found out when he turned 18.

The businesswoman described him as curious, compassionate, intelligent, well-read, and deeply informed about a range of issues that interest him. Melinda also praised him as a great brother and son, with an obsession with puzzles like his parents.

However, what made his mother proudest was that he is a feminist. Melinda revealed that she and her sister were raised being taught they could do anything their brothers could, adding, “but gender equality wasn’t exactly the kind of thing we talked about around the dinner table.”

She recalled that her parents were more focused on giving them the confidence needed to progress successfully, rather than discussing barriers that could hold them back. Melinda knew she faced challenges men didn’t but didn’t reflect “on the less overt ways that cultural norms and gendered expectations shape our lives.”

Over the years, Rory demonstrated his belief that gender equality is worth standing up for. When such issues came up during dinner conversations, he and his friends always had much to say.

Melinda also shared a memory from a trip she once took with Rory to East Africa to see some of her foundation’s work in Malawi. During that time, they met a group of men working to shift gender norms in their community.

The men spoke proudly about changing tradition by sharing household chores with their wives, co-managing finances, and making big decisions together. They also tried to convince other village men to adopt the same approach.

While Melinda was impressed, thinking what they were doing was extraordinary, her son disagreed. Melinda recalled, “He told me he thinks that standing up to unfair norms is nothing more than exactly what men everywhere should be doing.”

She continued, “Yes, he recognizes that the more entrenched the norms, the more courage it takes to confront them. But he also believes that it’s a universal responsibility and one that he’s already striving to uphold in his own life.”

These qualities are among the reasons his mother feels proud of him. She also feels fortunate that Rory was born during a time in history when young men are encouraged to be thoughtful about society and their roles.

It is a time when they are urged to “adopt new, more expansive definitions of what it means to be a man.” Melinda is optimistic about the future, hoping to see young men grow into equal partners in their households, workplace champions for women, and architects of a “better, more equitable future for their own sons and daughters.” The last Gates child is another daughter.

Jennifer Gates

In May 2024, the Gates family celebrated Jennifer’s graduation as she became Dr. Gates, MD, MPH. Taking to Instagram, she uploaded a graduation picture, writing, “Can’t believe we’ve reached this moment, a little girl’s childhood aspiration come true.”

She continued, “It’s been a whirlwind of learning, exams, late nights, tears, discipline, and many moments of self-doubt, but the highs certainly outweighed the lows these past 5 years. I am deeply grateful for this experience and so indebted and thankful to my professors, mentors, friends, and family for their endless support along the way. 💗”

At the end of January 2020, Jennifer reached another milestone when she revealed that her boyfriend, Nayel Nassar, had “Absolutely swept me off my feet this past weekend, surprising me in the most meaningful location over one of our many shared passions.”

She continued her engagement celebration, saying, “I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives learning, growing, laughing and loving together. Yes a million times over. 💍AHHH!!!” Nassar also posted two images of him proposing to Jennifer in the snow.

He wrote excitedly, “SHE SAID YES!! 💍I’m feeling like the luckiest (and happiest) man in the world right about now. Jenn, you are everything I could have possibly imagined..and so much more. I can’t wait to keep growing together through this journey called life, and I simply can’t imagine mine without you anymore.”

Nassar concluded, “Love you more than you can possibly imagine, and thank you for making every single day feel like a dream to me. Here’s to forever! 😘❤️”

The couple, who met on the equestrian circuit, quickly became friends before becoming romantic. In 2021, Jennifer was a third-year MD candidate at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. However, she is also the founder of Evergate Stables, which she co-manages with Nassar.

They tied the knot that same year at their farm in Westchester County, New York. Cheree Berry Paper created the invitation suite while the couple worked with Marcy Blum Events to plan the wedding.

Rishi Patel of HMR Designs handled the florals, while Laura Lovett and Priscilla Poelmans provided creative support and styling. Jennifer said, “One piece of advice we were given [throughout the planning process] was to remember that this day is about us and our love. I think we really kept that at the center of our minds while planning, and we also tried to ensure that our families and friends were able to enjoy themselves.”

The couple welcomed their first interracial child, a baby girl, in May 2023. In November 2024, Jennifer uploaded a cute Instagram photo showing her first child standing and watching their baby sibling sleeping in a crib.

She captioned the post, “Introducing Mia, who was born on our third wedding anniversary 💕 the best gift we could have asked for.” The couple’s youngest daughter’s face wasn’t visible in the shot, where she was bundled up in a snuggly blanket.

The Gates children have stepped confidently into their own paths, facing public scrutiny yet continuing to forge lives grounded in passion, purpose, and resilience.