Melinda French Gates, once known as the wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, has firmly established herself as a billionaire philanthropist, women’s advocate, and independent force in global change-making. As of April 2025, Melinda French Gates’ net worth is estimated at $30.4 billion, placing her among Forbes’ Top 10 Richest Women in the World. But wealth, for her, has never been about accumulation — it’s been a powerful tool for transformation.
Life After Divorce: A $25 Billion Settlement and a Fresh Start
French Gates, now 60 years old, finalized her divorce from Bill Gates in August 2021, after a two-year separation. Without a prenuptial agreement, the divorce settlement was reportedly worth $25 billion, one of the largest in history. The decision to part ways came after French Gates cited a breakdown of trust, referencing Gates’ past affairs at Microsoft and his controversial association with Jeffrey Epstein.
Though emotionally painful, Melinda described the decision as something she “had to do,” telling People Magazine that listening to her intuition and inner voice was essential for staying true to her values.
In the years since, her financial profile has only grown, thanks to additional asset transfers and her resignation terms from the Gates Foundation, which granted her $12.5 billion more in 2024 to support her own initiatives.
A Net Worth That Reflects More Than Wealth
According to Forbes, French Gates’ $30.4 billion net worth ranks her 10th among the wealthiest women globally. Her fortune stems from Microsoft holdings, diversified investments, and her portion of the Gates estate. However, she’s openly uncomfortable with the scale of her wealth, calling it an “absurdity.” In 2024 alone, she pledged $1 billion toward women’s and girls’ rights, part of her ongoing commitment to redistribute wealth where it’s needed most.
Empowering Women Through Pivotal Ventures
French Gates is no stranger to large-scale philanthropy. After co-chairing the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for over two decades — overseeing more than $77.6 billion in global charitable efforts — she formally stepped down in June 2024. Her departure wasn’t a retreat but a redirection: the move gave her full control over $12.5 billion for new initiatives.
She now leads Pivotal Ventures, a foundation she established in 2015 to advance gender equity, reproductive rights, and economic empowerment for women and marginalized communities. Under her leadership, Pivotal has committed over $2 billion to nonprofits like the National Women’s Law Center, MomsRising Education Fund, and the Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity.
In 2023 and 2024, French Gates awarded $20 million grants to visionary women such as:
- Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble, founder of The AAKOMA Project
- Olympian Allyson Felix
- Filmmaker Ava DuVernay
- Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee
New Memoir and Lessons from Reinvention
In April 2025, French Gates released her second book, “The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward,” a deeply personal memoir reflecting on major life moments — from motherhood to stepping away from the Gates Foundation. The book explores how transitions, no matter how painful, can create space for empowerment, healing, and leadership.
She describes how a series of recurring nightmares in 2019 triggered her decision to leave her marriage — dreams of a beautiful house collapsing, and later, a cliff’s edge where only she was falling. “As dramatic as it sounds,” she told People Magazine, “I knew I had to make a decision — and I had to make it alone.”
New Life, New Home, New Love
Following the divorce, French Gates left the sprawling 66,000-square-foot Gates estate in Seattle’s Lake Washington area, known as “Xanadu.” In 2021, she purchased a modest $1.2 million cottage in Seattle’s North Broadway neighborhood. She told Time Magazine, “Now I can walk to the store, the drugstore, restaurants — I absolutely love it.”
She’s also entered a new chapter personally. French Gates is currently dating Philip Vaughn, a 48-year-old tech entrepreneur and former Microsoft employee. The couple was spotted together entering Le Bernardin, a Michelin-starred restaurant in NYC, with People Magazine identifying Vaughn as her new partner. Though she’s private about her relationship, friends describe her as “happy and grounded.”
A Devoted Grandmother and Mother
Melinda French Gates is the proud mother of three children:
- Jennifer Gates Nassar (b. 1996)
- Rory Gates (b. 1999)
- Phoebe Gates (b. 2002)
In 2023, she became a grandmother for the first time. She now has two granddaughters:
- Leila, born March 2023
- Mia, born November 2024
Family remains central to her life. She and Bill Gates remain on cordial terms, often attending family events like graduations together. Despite the end of their marriage, both have spoken respectfully of their shared journey and legacy.
Her Career at Microsoft and Early Achievements
Born August 15, 1964, in Dallas, Texas, Melinda French was a gifted student. She graduated as valedictorian from Ursuline Academy, then earned dual degrees in Computer Science and Economics from Duke University, followed by an MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business.
At Microsoft, French worked on key products like Encarta, Expedia, Word, and Money, rising to General Manager of Information Products — a major achievement in a tech culture dominated by men in the 1990s. She met Bill Gates in 1987, and the two were married in 1994.
The Future of Melinda French Gates
Today, French Gates stands as a symbol of female leadership, resilience, and impact-driven wealth. She has made it clear that her fortune is not her legacy — her philanthropic investments in women, health, and education are.
Her vision for the future includes giving away most of her wealth, inspiring a new generation of leaders to do the same.