Bill Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, have three children: Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe. I know, I know—disappointing, right? No “Byte” or “Algorithm” in sight. They’re real humans who apparently don’t have bionic implants or a bedtime that involves solving calculus problems.
Jennifer, the oldest, is born in 1996. She’s a veterinary student and an equestrian—she even won a $100,000 prize in show jumping. Imagine telling your dad, “Hey, I want to ride horses for a living,” and he just nods. Must be nice.
Rory, the middle child (born 1999), keeps a low profile. He’s a student at the University of Chicago, probably trying to escape the Gates shadow. And Phoebe, the youngest (born 2002), is a dancer and activist. They’re all pretty normal, if you ignore the whole “dad’s net worth is over $100 billion” thing.
Don’t Expect Them to Inherit the Throne (or the Fortune)
Here’s the ironic twist: Bill Gates has famously said he plans to leave most of his wealth to charity, not his kids. He once told TED Talks that his children will get “a great education and some money,” but not enough to “distort their lives.” So, no, they won’t be buying islands with their allowance. Ouch.
Does Bill Gates Have Family
In fact, he’s often joked that giving kids huge inheritances is like saying, “Here’s a lifetime supply of caviar—now go be productive.” It’s a refreshingly sane take from a guy who could buy a small country. But let’s be honest: if I had his money, I’d at least buy my kids a private jet for their 16th birthday. Just saying.
