Do Bill and Melinda Gates have children?
BILL and Melinda Gates announced on Twitter in 2021 that they had divorced.
Here, we look at if they had children during their marriage and what they have said about their split.
Do Bill and Melinda Gates have children?
Bill and Melinda Gates were married for 27 years and have theee children.
Here's what we know about them:
Jennifer Gates
Jennifer Gates was born on April 26, 1996, and is an equestrian and medical student.
She took to Instagram in April 2020 to talk about her school progress, writing: “First year of medical school.
“While the last couple months were a bit different than expected, I’m so grateful to have met such an amazing group of colleagues, and to have learned from incredible physicians and professors this academic year.
Adding: “Already looking forward to year 2!”
Jennifer is married to equestrian Nayel Nassar.
The couple married on Friday, October 15, 2021, in a small Muslim ceremony set on her horse farm in Westchester County, NY.
The following day, a larger, star-studded event took place in the same location, with the bride wearing a Vera Wang wedding gown as she walked down the aisle with both her parents.
Coldplay and singer Harry Hudson performed for the guests.
Nassar proposed in January 2020, with Jennifer announcing the news to her social media followers.
She wrote on Instagram: “Nayel Nassar, you are one of a kind.
“Absolutely swept me off my feet this past weekend, surprising me in the most meaningful location over one of our many shared passions.
“I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives learning, growing, laughing and loving together. Yes a million times over. AHHH!!!”
In 2022, Jennifer revealed she was pregnant with their first child, a girl.
She was due to give birth in December 2022.
In May 2021, Jennifer said of her parents' divorce: "It's been a challenging stretch of time for our whole family.
"I'm still learning how to best support my own process and emotions as well as family members at this time."
Rory Gates
Rory Gates is Bill and Melinda's only son.
He was born on May 23, 1999.
Rory attended his father's school, Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington.
He then went on to study computer software engineering and economics at Duke University.
He got an MBA degree from Fuqua School of Business, at Duke University, which his mom, Melinda, attended.
He graduated from the University of Chicago in 2021.
In 2017, Melinda described her son as "compassionate and curious".
She added: "He’s a great son and a caring brother. He’s inherited his parents’ obsessive love of puzzles.
"And one of the things that makes me proudest: Rory is a feminist.
"As he goes out into the world, I feel more optimistic than ever about the future his generation will build.";
Phoebe Gates
Phoebe Gates was born on September 14, 2002.
She is interested in women's health.
She drew attention to the decision to overturn Roe v Wade, which allowed the right to choose an abortion.
What did Bill and Melinda Gates say about their split?
Bill and Melinda issued a statement on social media regarding their divorce, saying: “After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage.
“Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives.
“We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.
Adding: “We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life.”
In 2019, Bill said he had listed the pros and cons of marriage on a whiteboard in Netflix’s three-episode series, .
After a year of dating following their 1987, Melinda described how they had reached a crossroads in their relationship and Bill had to make a decision.
She said: "His whiteboard had the pros and the cons of getting married."
However, Bill described his wife as a "truly equal partner," noting: “She’s a lot like me in that she is optimistic and she is interested in science. She is better with people than I am.
"She’s a tiny bit less hardcore about knowing, you know, immunology than I am," he added.
Is Bill Gates planning on leaving any of his fortunes to his family?
Bill has been more forthright in the past about how he plans to leave his children slightly smaller pieces of his fortune, in contrast to what he’s worth.
When asked about rumors that he would only leave Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe $10 million each during a Reddit AMA session in 2013, Gates explained that it was for their benefit.
He said: "I definitely think leaving kids massive amounts of money is not a favor to them.
"Warren Buffett was part of an article in Fortune talking about this in 1986 before I met him and it made me think about it and decide he was right."
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The Gates’ were considered one of the world’s richest couples.
Melinda is believed to have received $6,3billion worth in stock in the divorce settlement.