Meet the Gates kids: Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe — And why they’re not just “Bill and Melinda’s children”

Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Bill Gates and philanthropist Melinda French Gates' divorce in 2021 came as a huge shock to everyone. Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates were married for 27 years and they were one of the most respected couples in the tech world. During their marriage of close to three decades, the former couple had three children together-- Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe. And now, even after their divorce, Bill and Melinda seem to be cordial with each other at their family get-togethers with their children.
As per reports, Bill and Melinda has waited until all their kids had graduated high school to formally get divorced. This shows their love and commitment to their children, despite their personal difference. But who are Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe and what do they do? Read on to know more about Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates' children, who are carving a niche for themselves away from their parents' shadows:

Photo: Melinda French Gates/ Instagram

Bill and Melinda's eldest daughter, Jennifer Katharine Gates, was born on April 26, 1996. And unlike her famous parents, Jennifer has carved out a path of her own — both as a doctor, and an equestrian!

Jennifer has a degree in human biology from Stanford University and a master’s in public health from Columbia. In May 2024, she graduated from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. As per reports, she’s now beginning her pediatric residency at Mt. Sinai.

Apart from medicine, Jennifer is also a professional show jumper and has been competing for years in the equestrian world. And that's how she met her now-husband Nayel Nassar.

In October 2021, Jennifer Gates married fellow equestrian Nayel Nassar. Their wedding was help just months after her parents' divorce — and both Bill and Melinda had reunited for her big day.

In March 2023, Jennifer and Nayel became parents with the birth of their first daughter, Leila. In October 2024, they welcomed their second child, Mia.

Photo: Melinda French Gates/ Instagram

Born on May 23, 1999, Bill and Melinda's only son, Rory John Gates was named in the loving memory of Melinda's late friend, John Neilson, as the latter died of cancer days after their son's birth.

Rory Gates seems to be quietly building an impressive academic and professional resume. He graduated from the University of Chicago in June 2022, completing a double major and a master’s degree — all within just four years. Currently, he’s pursuing a PhD at the Institute of World Politics while also working as an analyst for the Afghanistan War Commission, as mentioned on his LinkedIn profile.

Despite having famous parents, Rory seems to prefer living a private life-- away from the media's glare. In a 2017 essay for TIME, his mother Melinda had described him as “compassionate and curious,” and “intelligent and well-read.” She also shared that he is a feminist, and has his on views o various important world matters. "Across 18 years of conversations, sharp observations and everyday actions, he's demonstrated his belief that gender equality is something worth standing up for. When we talk about these issues at the dinner table, he (and his friends!) have a lot to say," Melinda shared.

Photo: Melinda French Gates/ Instagram

Bill and Melinda's youngest child, Phoebe Adele Gates, was born on September 14, 2002. And unlike her parents or siblings, she seems to have an inclination towards fashion! In 2022, she did an internship with British Vogue and was very happy about it. Expressing her gratitude, she had posted on Instagram, "Thank you @britishvogue for giving me the internship of a lifetime. It was an honor to work with some of the best in the business and learn from you all."

Apart from it, Phoebe also shares her love for reading with her father Bill Gates, who is known to be an avid reader. In a 2018 Instagram post, Bill had shared that he and Phoebe loved "reading all kinds of books," and that John Green was one of their favourite authors at the time.

Being a Gen Z, Phoebe Gates is quite active on social media, especially TikTok. "People have a lot of preconceptions about me, so TikTok has been a chance for me to tell my own story and also use the attention my family name might bring to spotlight issues that are important to me, like women's health and sustainable fashion," she told The Information in a March 2023 interview.

In June 2024, Phoebe graduate from Stanford University.

In April 2025, Phoebe and her friend Sophia Kianni launched The Burnouts podcast under Alex Cooper’s Unwell Network. They also co--founded Phia — which is a sustainable fashion platform, expectd to be launched later in 2025, Medium reported.

Phoebe is dating Arthur Donald, who is Paul McCartney's grandson, as per Nylon.

Photo: Bill Gates/ Instagram