Melinda French Gates has been spotted flashing a huge new diamond ring on her engagement finger after stepping off a private helicopter at a New York City helipad.
Melinda was all smiles as she was accompanied by an assistant who helped with her luggage.
She was seen carrying a large pink Chanel shopping bag that retails for around $6,600.
Melinda wore a light beige mesh jacket, fitting for the spring weather. Underneath she could be seen wearing a white blouse, black trousers, and Loewe sneakers that retail for $600.
But it was the huge rock on her ring finger that was front and center as she stepped away from the chopper.
Melinda French Gates was seen with a large diamond ring on her engagement finger after arriving in New York City via private helicopter
Melinda could be seen with a huge diamond on her ring finger as she got off the chopper
Melinda was all smiles as she walked away from the private helicopter
Bill and Melinda founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The pair continued to work on the foundation after their 2021 split
There has been no public announcement of Melinda getting engaged, but since their high-stakes split in 2021, both she and ex-husband Bill have both reportedly been dating new partners.
After the couple split, Melinda spoke out in detail about what lead to the uncoiling of her marriage, and she said there wasn’t one particular thing that lead to their breakup, but rather it was a bunch of things that added up over time.
She revealed that she slowly realized she ‘wasn’t healthy’ in the relationship, and that she could no longer ‘trust what she and Bill had.’
Melinda French Gates has a current net worth of about $13 billion; Bill Gates has a fortune worth more than $148 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Earlier this year, the pair divided personal services, such as private jets, security and other functions previously housed for both of them under an entity called Watermark.
A closeup view of Melinda’s ring finger gives an idea of the size of the diamond
She appeared cheerful as an assistant helped with her luggage, carrying a pricey Chanel shopping bag and wearing a spring-appropriate outfits
One assistant could be seen carrying a navy bag while Melinda carried her own pink bag
Melinda carried a pink Chanel bag and wore a mesh jacket, white blouse, black trousers, and Loewe sneakers
Bill has been spotted numerous times with Paula Hurd, 60, the former wife of Oracle co-CEO Mark Hurd, who passed away in October of 2019.
Melinda, who called her divorce from the software billionaire ‘unbelievably painful,’ has reportedly been seeing former Fox reporter Jon Du Pre, 64, since 2022.
Du Pre, who has worked across the country as a news anchor in various cities, was previously married 1985’s Miss Utah Gina Larsen.
While the exact details surrounding the start of their romance are still unclear, Melinda first revealed back in March 2022 that she was officially ‘dipping her toes’ into the dating world again following her divorce from Bill.
At the time, she told CBS Mornings host Gayle King that she was ‘definitely’ open to finding love again – and even revealed that she had already met some suitors.
‘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.’
Melinda appeared to be in a cheerful mood as she was spotted arriving in New York City
Melinda called her split with Bill ‘unbelievably painful, in innumerable ways,’ but added that that her ‘main concern’ was ‘protecting her kids.’ The Gates family is pictured in 2019
It’s believed Melinda had been dating former Fox News reporter Jon Du Pre. They are pictured at a basketball game in April 2022
Bill Gates and Paula Hurd attend the 2024 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in April
Bill and Melinda reunited for daughter Phoebe’s 21st birthday party in September 2023
Melinda and Phoebe attend the Clooney Foundation for Justice’s 2023 Albie Awards at New York Public Library
While they were still a couple, the Gates’ famously said they would try their best to deliver normal lives to their children, despite the extraordinary circumstances.
Bill previously announced that he was more interested in giving his children an education so they can make something of themselves. He vowed to give each of them a small amount of money, before passing the rest onto his eponymous 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.’
The exes may have tried to raise their kids as modestly as possible, but their living situation was far from humble – the family grew up in a mansion in Medina, Washington, that came complete with seven bathrooms, 24 bathrooms, and six kitchens, as well as its own man-made beach, at-home movie theater, gym, and trampoline room.
The property, worth an estimated $131 million, is nicknamed ‘Xanadu 2.0,’ a reference to the fictional estate in the movie ‘Citizen Kane.’
