When Bill Gates and Melinda Gates announced their divorce, fans were shocked. But now that the news has sunk in, people are wondering what it means for their three kids, especially since Bill said his children wouldn't inherit his entire $131.1 billion fortune. Traditionally, all the responsibility is left to the man of the house. Now that the family is taking a new way, many people ask: How is Bill Gates' relationship with his only son, Rory John?
Who Are Bill and Melinda's Kids?
Jennifer, Phoebe, and Rory managed to grow up away from the spotlight that followed their parents. However, after Bill and Melinda announced their plans to divorce, that changed.
Jennifer Katharine Gates
Their oldest daughter, Jennifer Katharine Gates, just turned 25. Like her siblings, she went to the same high school her dad attended: Lakeside School in Seattle. But that's where the similarities between Jennifer and her father end.
While her dad's focus was on tech and computers, she had an affinity for horses. In fact, Jennifer has been riding since she was just six years old, competing against other celebrities like Bruce Springsteen's daughter Jessica and Steven Spielberg's daughter Destry.
To support her passion, Bill purchased properties near Jennifer's stables in Florida. This has led to rumors that the Gates' oldest daughter is possibly the couple's favorite and definitely the most spoiled because it wasn't the last such purchase.
When Jennifer was studying at Stanford University, she decided she wanted to go to medical school, so in 2017 a full year before she started her journey in medicine, her father bought her a swanky $5 million condo within walking distance of the campus.
Rory John Gates
The Gates' son Rory is 22 and a master at avoiding the limelight. In fact, if not for Jennifer's occasional posts about him and an article that his mom wrote in the Time Magazine to honor his 18th birthday, the general public wouldn't know anything about him.
After Rory graduated from high school in 2018, he enrolled at The University of Chicago. Although Melinda didn't reveal what he's studying, it wouldn't be a surprise to learn he'd followed his parents' footsteps.
His mother explained, "He's intelligent and well-read and deeply informed about the wide range of issues that interest him. He's a great son and a great brother. He's inherited his parents' obsessive love of puzzles."
Even though Melinda has a lot to admire about her son, there's one thing about Rory that makes his mother proudest: He's a feminist.
As his mother said, "Across 18 years of conversations, sharp observations, and everyday actions, he's demonstrated his belief that gender equality is something worth standing for."
Phoebe Adele Gates
She's just 18, but she knows exactly what she wants to do with her life: Dance. After high school, Phoebe studied at The School of American Ballet and Juilliard. While her social media accounts are mainly set to private, there's one exception, and that is TikTok. However, she doesn't share much beyond some dancing which is a fantastic treat, especially when she gets her dad to dance with her.
Did They Have a Normal Childhood?
They may have been raised by billionaires in a home valued at $124 million, but the Gates' kids weren't spoiled. All three were raised catholic and were banned from owning a cell phone until they were 14, which may seem surprising when people consider that their dad is a tech mogul. But, there's a good reason for it.
Bill and Melinda decided to raise their kids according to a formula developed in the 1970s called Love and Logic. The main idea is that parenting shouldn't include emotional reactions like shouting or reprimanding kids. Instead, traditional rewards like cell phones and gifts are replaced with love and admiration to allow kids to become emotionally independent and hard-working.
But, this wasn't without its challenges. As Bill once admitted in an interview, Melinda was actually responsible for 80% of the parenting in the home, although she always tried to involve him.
In 2017, Bill explained, "Melinda is very creative about helping me find chances to spend time with the kids." One of the ways she thought of was to get the family to do household chores together to ensure that they appreciate responsibility (even though their parents have a team of cleaners.)
It's not surprising that in a world in which Bill and Melinda tried to keep their kids humble, the news of their divorce and how to divide their billions of dollars became a big deal.
The Truth About Bill Gates' Relationship With His Son, Rory John
It is no secret that Bill Gates is a busy man. Nevertheless, he's always been a caring and responsible dad. As proof of it, his three children are kind, humble, and brilliant. As Rory has followed in his parents' footsteps in many ways, there's no doubt of his great admiration for Bill and Melinda. Rory and Bill seem to have a great relationship. Leaving aside the divorce of his parents, they're all still a family.