Children of billionaire and Microsoft founder Bill Gates are set to inherit less than one per cent of his wealth, after he vowed to give away 99% of his fortune by 2045.
While most billionaire heirs stand to inherit family empires, Gates' three children are each expected to receive roughly £7.9 million ($10.4 million).
Gates has pledged to donate the vast majority of his £85.7 billion ($113 billion) fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the world's largest private charity, with the goal of tackling global issues such as malaria, education inequality, and climate change.
He shares three children with his ex-wife, Melinda Gates: Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe. Here's what we know about each of them.
Jennifer Katharine Gates Nassar: Doctor, Mother, Equestrian
Jennifer Gates Nassar, 30, is the eldest of the Gates children and goes by 'Jenn'.
A professional showjumper and trained doctor, she began riding horses at just six years old. Her father poured millions into her passion, including purchasing a £13.6 million ($18 million) Californian horse farm and several parcels of land in Wellington, Florida, to build a custom equestrian facility.
Jenn graduated with a degree in human biology from Stanford University in 2018 and went on to earn her medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in May 2024. While studying, she also completed a Master's in Public Health at Columbia University.
'Can't believe we've reached this moment, a little girl's childhood aspiration come true. It's been a whirlwind of learning, exams, late nights, tears, discipline, and many moments of self-doubt, but the highs certainly outweighed the lows these past 5 years,' she wrote on Instagram.
In October 2021, she married fellow equestrian Nayel Nassar. The couple welcomed their first child, Leila, in March 2023, and a second daughter, Mia, in October 2024.
Jenn is currently completing her residency in paediatric research at Mount Sinai.
Rory John Gates: The Private Intellectual
At 25 years old, Rory Gates is the middle child and only son of Bill and Melinda Gates.
He lives a far more private life than his sisters. His social media accounts are locked down, and he rarely appears in public or family photos.
Rory's middle name was chosen in honour of Melinda's close friend, John Neilson, who died of cancer shortly after Rory was born.
In 2017, Melinda penned a piece for TIME magazine titled 'How I Raised a Feminist Son', describing Rory as 'a great son and a great brother' who 'inherited his parents' obsessive love of puzzles'.
Rory graduated from the University of Chicago in 2022 with a double major and a master's degree. He is currently completing a PhD at the Institute of World Politics and works as an analyst for the Afghanistan War Commission.
Phoebe Adele Gates: Fashion Founder and Digital Activist
Phoebe Gates, 22, is the youngest of the three and arguably the most public.
Like her sister, she studied human biology at Stanford University, graduating in just three years. But unlike Jenn, Phoebe has carved out a distinct path that blends technology, fashion, and activism.
In 2022, she interned at British Vogue and attended fashion weeks in Copenhagen, New York, and Paris.
She co-founded Phia, a sustainable fashion-tech startup, with college roommate Sophia Kianni. The platform uses a browser extension to track down items across second-hand marketplaces, helping consumers find better deals and reduce waste. The site is set to go live later this year.
Bill Gates admitted he was relieved his daughter didn't ask him to fund the business:
'I would have kept her on a short leash and be doing business reviews, which I would have found tricky, and I probably would have been overly nice, but wondered if it was the right thing to do,' he said in a New York Times interview. 'Luckily, it never happened.'
In April 2025, Phoebe and Sophia launched a podcast, The Burnouts, under Alex Cooper's Unwell Network. The podcast explores what they've learned from launching a business, with appearances by mentors, experts, and surprise guests.
Phoebe is also vocal on social media about her political views, regularly advocating for reproductive rights and gender equality.
A Legacy Beyond Wealth
While Bill Gates' decision to limit his children's inheritance has raised eyebrows, it also signals a deeper philosophy: that privilege should come with purpose, not entitlement. Each of his children appears to be carving their own path—whether in medicine, policy, or entrepreneurship—supported by opportunity but not reliant on wealth. As Gates continues to push his fortune toward global good, his family's next generation seems equally committed to making a meaningful mark in their own way.
