Melinda French Gates was spotted sporting a sizable new diamond ring on her engagement finger as she stepped off a private helicopter at a helipad in New York City, according to reports. Melinda was all smiles as she got down from the helicopter accompanied by an assistant who helped with her luggage.
She was seen carrying a large pink Chanel shopping bag, which typically retails for around $6,600, the Daily Mail reported. Melinda was dressed in a light beige mesh jacket, fitting for the spring weather. Underneath, she wore a white blouse paired with black trousers. She completed her ensemble with Loewe sneakers, which retail for $600, the outlet reported.
The Big Ring
However, it was the huge rock on her ring finger that took center stage as she moved away from the helicopter. There has been no public announcement regarding Melinda's engagement, but since their high-profile split in 2021, both she and her ex-husband Bill Gates have reportedly been dating new partners.
After their split, Melinda openly discussed the factors leading to the uncoiling of their marriage, noting that it wasn't one specific incident but rather a culmination of various issues over time.
She said that she realized that she wasn't healthy within the relationship and that she could no longer trust the foundation of their partnership.
Melinda has a net worth of around $13 billion for Melinda while Bill Gates has a fortune of over $148 billion, as per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Their separation involved dividing personal services, including private jets, security, and other functions previously managed jointly under an entity known as Watermark.
Bill Gates has been frequently spotted with Paula Hurd, 60, the former wife of Oracle co-CEO Mark Hurd, who died in October 2019.
Finding New Love
Melinda, who described her divorce from the software billionaire as "unbelievably painful," has reportedly been in a relationship with former Fox reporter Jon Du Pre, 64, since 2022. Du Pre, who has a background as a news anchor in various cities across the country, was previously married to 1985's Miss Utah Gina Larsen.
Although the specifics of how their romance began remain unclear, Melinda first mentioned in March 2022 that she was officially entering the dating scene following her divorce from Bill Gates.
In an interview with CBS Mornings host Gayle King, she said she is open to finding love again and even mentioned meeting some potential partners.
'It's interesting at this point,' she said with a giggle. 'You know, I'm dipping my toe in that water a little bit. I feel like, I'm in a really good place. And I'm really, really excited about my life and about the world - the work ahead.'
While they were together, the Gates' committed to providing their children with as normal a life as possible, despite their exceptional circumstances.
Bill Gates had previously said his focus was on providing his children with an education so they could forge their paths. He pledged to give each of them a modest sum of money, with the majority of his wealth designated for his namesake foundation.
He said, "Our kids will receive a great education and some money, so they are never going to be poorly off, but they'll go out and have their own career.
"It's not a favor to kids to have them have huge sums of wealth. It distorts anything they might do, creating their own path."
