With many billionaires choosing to adopt their children, it’s easy to question whether Bill and Melinda Gates have also adopted theirs.
Microsoft Co-Founder and billionaire, Bill Gates, and philanthropist wife, Melinda Gates, have 3 children: Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe. Contrary to what some may think, they are the biological children of the billionaire couple and are not adopted.
Read below to explore the comparably normal upbringing of the Gates children and what characteristics they share (or don’t share) with their parents.
Jennifer Gates
Born on April 26, 1996, the eldest child, Jennifer Gates, is an accomplished equestrian. After graduating from Stanford University in 2018 with a degree in Human Biology, she then went on to medical school in New York City.
On discussing her upbringing, she told Sidelines Magazine, “I was born into a huge situation of privilege and I think it’s about using those opportunities and learning from them to find things that I’m passionate about, and hopefully make the world a little bit of a better place”.
Taking after her mom and dad, Jennifer Gates is a philanthropist and has a strong desire to help other people. Growing up, her parents always talked to her as an adult and she remembers talking to them about global issues like children’s mortality and HIV/AIDS at the dinner table
It was these conversations as a child that sparked her interest in biology and medicine. It also made her realize how fortunate she was to have opportunities in life that other children don’t have.
Outside of medicine, her biggest passion is horse-riding. After graduating, Gates competed in competitions around the world where she met her equestrian fiance Nayel Nassar.
Contrary to her technophile parents, Jennifer Gates went down the science and medicine route, as well as being accomplished in a sport that neither of her parents did. But one thing is for sure, she is clearly just as smart and driven as her mom and dad.
Rory Gates
Born on May 23, 1999, Rory Gates is Bill and Melinda Gates’ only son. He shares his parents’ passion for computing after studying Computer Software Engineering and Economics at Duke Unversity.
Taking after his parents’ compassionate nature, Rory Gates regularly donates to charities, reportedly donating a third of his pocket money as a child. He is also a feminist, something his mom is hugely proud of.
In 2010, when the Gates family was on vacation in Europe, Rory was inspired by his father’s tutoring of the physics of light and created a seven-line poem about the topic. Rory asked his father to put the poem on his website, for which Gates happily obliged.
With their passion for computing and science and their kind nature, the Gates men certainly lend themselves to a like father, like son relationship.
Phoebe Gates
Finally, we have the youngest child, Phoebe Gates. Born on September 14, 2002, Phoebe Gates attended the prestigious Professional Children’s School and Lakeside School, where her father is an alumnus.
Like her older sister, it is thought that Phoebe has several sporting interests, including ballet, performing arts, and swimming. She perhaps does not share the same interests in computer science as her parents and her brother, but she is no doubt following a successful path.
Why They Won’t Be Inheriting Their Father’s Fortune
Bill Gates has announced that his children will only inherit $10 million, less than 1% of his fortune.
“It will mean they have to find their own way,” said Gates, who wants his kids to understand the importance of creating their own path, rather than have everything given to them in life. The rest of the fortune will go to charitable causes.
This is not a surprising move from Bill and Melinda Gates, given that they raised their kids under fairly strict rules to avoid giving them a spoilt upbringing. This included not allowing them to own cellphones before the age of 14, as well as limiting device screen-time before bed.
Spitting Images
Despite any supposed rumors, we can safely assume that the Gates children are not adopted. With their curricular and extra-curricular achievements, passion for helping others, and drive to succeed, the kids certainly take after their parents – not to mention that they are all spitting images of them.