Bill Gates is a famous American businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded Microsoft in 1975. His work changed personal computing forever.
The billionaire is known for his massive wealth and charity work. He has 1 ex-wife and 1 current relationship. His personal life includes a high-profile divorce in 2021. Today, he is dating former news anchor Paula Hurd.
Bill Gates Wiki/Bio
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | William Henry Gates III |
| Birth Date | October 28, 1955 |
| Age | 70 years (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Businessman, Philanthropist, Software Developer |
| Marriages | 1 |
| Ex-Wives Names | Melinda French Gates |
| Current Wife | None (dating Paula Hurd) |
| Children | 3 (Jennifer, Rory, Phoebe) |
| Net Worth | $150 billion (approx.) |
| Wealth Sources | Microsoft, Investments, Dividends, Real Estate |
| Known For | Co-founding Microsoft, Philanthropy |
| Relationship Timeline | 1994-2021 (Melinda), 2023-present (Paula) |
Bill Gates Ex Wife Overview
Bill Gates has only 1 ex-wife in his life. Her name is Melinda French Gates. They were married for 27 years before divorcing. The split shocked the business world in 2021.
Melinda is a former Microsoft manager and philanthropist. She co-runs the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Their divorce was finalized in 2021. She remains a powerful figure in global health.
Bill Gates First Ex Wife – Melinda French Gates
Melinda French Gates WIKI/BIO
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Melinda Ann French Gates |
| Birth Date | August 15, 1964 |
| Age | 61 years |
| Birthplace | Dallas, Texas, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Philanthropist, Former Microsoft Manager |
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) |
| Weight | 128 lbs (58 kg) |
| Body Measurements | 36-27-37 inches |
| Eye Color | Green |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Body Type / Build | Athletic |
| Shoe Size | 8.5 (US) |
| Dress Size | 6 (US) |
| Bra Size | 34B |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Spouse (Bill Gates) | 1994 to 2021 |
| Children | 3 (Jennifer, Rory, Phoebe) |
| Net Worth | $12 billion (approx.) |
| Income Sources | Foundation, Divorce Settlement, Investments |
| Known For | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
Melinda French Gates married Bill Gates on January 1, 1994. She was 29 years old at the time. The couple had 3 children together. Their names are Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe.
The marriage lasted for 27 long years. But trouble began in 2019. Reports surfaced about Bill’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Melinda hired divorce lawyers in 2019.
The divorce was finalized in August 2021. Melinda received $12 billion in assets. She did not take half of his fortune. She kept her maiden name after the split.
Melinda is a Duke University graduate in computer science. She worked at Microsoft for 10 years. She later became a full-time philanthropist. She co-founded the Gates Foundation in 2000.
Her net worth is around $12 billion today. She earns from dividends and investments. Melinda has pledged to give away most of her wealth. She is now dating former Fox News correspondent Jon Du Pre.
Bill Gates Relationship Timeline
| Wife / Partner | Married / Together | Divorced / Ended | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melinda French Gates | 1994 | 2021 | 3 children; 27 years |
| Paula Hurd | Dating (2023) | Present | No children; not married |
Bill Gates Current Wife
Bill Gates does not have a current wife today. He is dating Paula Hurd since 2023. Paula is the widow of Oracle CEO Mark Hurd. She is a former event planner and philanthropist.
The couple made their public debut in 2023. They attended a tennis match in Australia. Bill is 70 years old and Paula is 62 years old. They have no children together.
Bill has said he is happy again after the divorce. He is not rushing into marriage. The relationship remains private and low-key.
Bill Gates Real Name
Bill Gates real name is William Henry Gates III. He was named after his father and grandfather. He dropped “William” for “Bill” as a child. His official name still appears on legal documents.
The “III” means he is the third generation. His father was William H. Gates II. His grandfather was William H. Gates I. The name has become synonymous with Microsoft.
Bill Gates Early Life and Education
Bill was born on October 28, 1955 in Seattle. He grew up in an upper-class family. His father was a lawyer. His mother was a school teacher.
He attended Lakeside School, a private prep school. There he learned programming at age 13. He wrote his first software at 15. He later enrolled at Harvard University in 1973.
Bill dropped out of Harvard in 1975. He was 19 years old then. He left to start Microsoft with Paul Allen. The school later gave him an honorary doctorate in 2007.
Bill Gates Parents and Family
Bill’s father was William H. Gates II (1925-2020). He was a prominent lawyer in Seattle. His mother was Mary Maxwell Gates (1929-1994). She served on United Way board.
Both parents encouraged his tech hobbies. Mary helped Bill get his first IBM contract. His father managed his early legal affairs. Bill has 2 sisters named Kristianne and Libby.
Bill Gates Marriages and Relationships
Bill Gates has been married only once. His ex-wife is Melinda French Gates. They married in 1994 and divorced in 2021. He had no other marriages before her.
Before Melinda, Bill dated several women briefly. He was linked to Ann Winblad in the 1980s. He also dated Melinda for 7 years before proposing. Today, he is dating Paula Hurd since 2023.
Bill Gates Ex Wife Details
His only ex-wife Melinda French Gates is 61 years old. She was married to Bill for 27 years. They share 3 adult children together. She received $12 billion in the divorce.
Melinda now runs her own philanthropy firm called Pivotal Ventures. She focuses on women’s rights and gender equality. She has publicly criticized Bill’s Epstein ties. The divorce was friendly but firm.
Bill Gates Current Wife
Bill Gates has no current wife. He is dating Paula Hurd since early 2023. Paula is 62 years old and widowed. She has 2 daughters from her late husband.
The couple attends sports events and art auctions together. They have not announced any engagement. Bill says he is enjoying the relationship without pressure.
Bill Gates Age, Height, Weight and Appearance
Bill Gates is 70 years old today. He was born in 1955. His height is 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm). He weighs around 150 lbs (68 kg).
He has blue eyes and greying brown hair. His body build is slender and average. He wears glasses most of the time. His look is nerdy but iconic.
Bill Gates Career
Bill co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975. He wrote Altair BASIC as his first product. Microsoft created the MS-DOS operating system in 1981. That deal with IBM made him rich.
Windows 1.0 launched in 1985. It became the world’s top OS. Bill served as CEO until 2000. He stepped down to focus on philanthropy. He remained Chairman until 2014.
Microsoft’s stock made him a billionaire at 31. In 1995, he became the richest man in the world. He held that title for 18 of 20 years. He left Microsoft’s board in 2020.
Today, he focuses on the Gates Foundation. The foundation has $50 billion in assets. It fights malaria, polio, and poverty. Bill also invests in clean energy through Breakthrough Energy.
Bill Gates Net Worth and Income Sources
Bill Gates net worth is $150 billion as of 2026. He earns from Microsoft dividends annually. He also owns Cascade Investment, his private firm. That firm controls multiple public stocks.
He sold most of his Microsoft shares over time. He now owns less than 2% of the company. His wealth comes from stock growth and bonds. He also makes money from real estate and farmland.
Bill Gates owns 275,000 acres of farmland in the US, making him one of the largest private farmland owners. He also has a $130 million art collection. His Xanadu 2.0 mansion is worth $150 million.
Bill Gates Legacy and Fame
Bill Gates is considered a tech visionary and pioneer. He changed how people use computers forever. His software runs on over 1.5 billion devices. He co-founded the largest private foundation in history.
He has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He also won the Padma Bhushan from India. He and Melinda won the J. Paul Getty Prize for charity. His legacy includes saving millions of lives through vaccines.
Bill Gates Nationality and Religion
Bill Gates nationality is American. He was born in Seattle, Washington. His religion is Catholicism by upbringing. He does not practice actively today.
He has said he believes in science and reason. He raised his children as Catholics per Melinda’s wish. He donates to faith-based charities occasionally.
Bill Gates Future Plans
Bill plans to give away 99% of his wealth. He has already donated $50 billion to his foundation. He will step back from daily foundation work soon.
He wants to write more books about climate change. His next book releases in 2027. He also plans to invest in nuclear energy startups. Bill remains active on social media daily.
Bill Gates Divorce Controversies
Bill’s divorce from Melinda was very controversial. Reports linked him to Jeffrey Epstein meetings. Melinda was unhappy about those dinners. She started divorce planning in 2019.
Bill also had an affair with a Microsoft employee in 2000. He admitted to it after the divorce. The affair was investigated by Microsoft’s board. He stepped down from the board in 2020 due to that.
His reputation took a small hit from the scandal. But his charity work protected his image. Melinda has said she forgives him for the past.
Bill Gates Personal Life
Bill Gates is a avid reader of non-fiction. He reads about 50 books per year. He also plays bridge and tennis regularly. He is known for his quirky habits like washing dishes himself.
He owns a private island in Belize. He also collects rare Leonardo da Vinci notebooks. He spends weekends with his three children. His daughter Jennifer married in 2021.
Bill Gates Popular TV Shows
Bill appeared on The Big Bang Theory as himself. He also guest-starred on The Simpsons. He has been on 60 Minutes over 10 times. He featured in Billions and Silicon Valley.
He produced the Netflix series “Inside Bill’s Brain”. He also appeared in The Newsroom cameo. His TV appearances are rare but memorable.
Bill Gates Public Image
Bill Gates has a nerdy but likable public image. He is known for his high-pitched voice and glasses. People see him as a benevolent billionaire. He is also seen as a geek icon worldwide.
His image suffered after the Epstein scandal. But his vaccine work rebuilt trust. He remains polarizing among conspiracy theorists. Most people respect his philanthropy over his wealth.
Bill Gates Lifestyle
Bill Gates lives in a $150 million mansion in Medina, Washington. The home has 24 bathrooms and a trampoline room. He also owns a $43 million beach house in California. He flies privately on a Gulfstream G650.
He drives a Porsche 911 and a Ford Focus. He does not collect luxury cars like other billionaires. He wears $10 watches and cheap clothes. His lifestyle is rich but not flashy.
Bill Gates Movies / TV Shows
- Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates (2019)
- The Big Bang Theory (2018 cameo)
- The Simpsons (voice, 2019)
- 60 Minutes (multiple appearances)
- Billions (cameo, 2020)
- Silicon Valley (cameo, 2019)
- The Newsroom (cameo, 2013)
- Waiting for “Superman” (producer, 2010)
- The Gates Foundation documentary (2021)
- Explain This (Apple TV+, 2022)
- Climate 2025 (executive producer, 2024)
Bill Gates Hobbies
- Reading 50 books per year
- Playing bridge with friends
- Playing tennis at clubs
- Traveling to Antarctica
- Collecting rare manuscripts
- Golfing at exclusive courses
- Watching documentaries
- Learning new subjects online
- Solving puzzles and math problems
- Hiking in national parks
Bill Gates Favorite Things
- Book: The Catcher in the Rye
- Movie: The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
- TV Show: The Wire
- Food: Cheeseburgers
- Drink: Diet Coke
- Sport: Tennis
- Car: Porsche 911
- Color: Blue
- Vacation: Greenland
- Author: Vaclav Smil
Bill Gates Interesting Facts
- Bill Gates wrote his first program at age 13.
- He scored 1590 out of 1600 on the SAT.
- He was arrested once for a traffic violation.
- He can memorize license plates of employees.
- He has a $30 million art collection.
- He is the largest farmland owner in the US.
- He owns a private island called Grand Bogue Caye.
- He reads 50 books every single year.
- He once bought a da Vinci notebook for $30 million.
- He has 3 children and no grandchildren yet.
FAQs
Who is Bill Gates ex wife?
Melinda French Gates is Bill Gates ex wife. They married in 1994 and divorced in 2021. She is a philanthropist and former Microsoft manager.
How much did Melinda Gates get in the divorce?
Melinda French Gates received about $12 billion in the divorce settlement. She did not take half of his $150 billion fortune. She also kept her stock holdings in Microsoft.
What is the age of Bill Gates ex wife?
Melinda French Gates is 61 years old as of 2026. She was born on August 15, 1964. She is 9 years younger than Bill.
Does Bill Gates have a new wife?
No, Bill Gates does not have a new wife. He is dating Paula Hurd since 2023. Paula is the widow of former Oracle CEO Mark Hurd.
How many children do Bill and Melinda Gates have?
Bill and Melinda have 3 children together. Their names are Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe. All three are adults now and not involved in Microsoft.
Conclusion
Bill Gates is 70 years old and a tech legend. He has 1 ex-wife named Melinda French Gates. They were married for 27 years before divorcing. He has 3 children from that marriage.
His net worth is $150 billion from Microsoft success. He is currently dating Paula Hurd but not married. Bill overcame controversies like the Epstein scandal. He remains one of the richest men alive.
His legacy is both business and charity. The Gates Foundation will outlive him. He plans to give away 99% of his wealth. Bill Gates proves that genius can also be generous.
