Melinda Gates ditched her statement diamond ring as she reunited with her billionaire ex-husband Bill for the first time in eight months today to mark 27-year-old daughter Jennifer’s medical school graduation.
The 59-year-old ex-wife of Microsoft billionaire Bill, 68, was photographed with her ex-husband in New York City on Friday to celebrate their eldest child’s achievement – with the special opportunity to reunite the estranged lovers for the first time in almost a year.
Jennifer – who is a candidate for a residency at Mount Sinai’s pediatrics program – seemed to appreciate her parents putting tensions aside to focus on her achievements as she grinned from ear to ear while visiting the upscale eatery Marea with her younger sister on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. sister Phoebe, 21.
The family reunion comes just weeks after Melinda sparked romance rumors when she stepped out with a dazzling diamond ring, which she left behind for a day to maintain her eldest daughter’s shine.
Melinda Gates has ditched her impressive sparkler as she reunited with ex-husband Bill for the first time in eight months to mark their daughter Jennifer’s college graduation.
The 59-year-old ex-wife of Microsoft billionaire Bill, 68, was spotted strolling around New York City to mark Jennifer’s special day as she graduated from medical school
The awkward reunion comes just weeks after Melinda sparked romance rumors when she stepped out with a dazzling diamond ring
The family was joined by their youngest daughter, Phoebe, whose 21st birthday last September was the last time they were all seen together in public.
But while Phoebe’s milestone birthday was celebrated with a party, the family marked Jennifer’s achievement by enjoying a luxurious lunch together at Marea before going their separate ways.
The exes arrived to the elegant eatery in separate cars and didn’t hold back when it came to partying.
The family certainly accomplished the feat with an expensive lunch at the lavish restaurant, where a side of arugula will set diners back a whopping $18.
Meanwhile, a selection of pasta dishes cost $47 each, a swordfish dish costs $61, an asparagus appetizer costs $39, and guests can enjoy caviar for a whopping $285.
However, the expensive records weren’t likely to make a huge dent in Melinda and Bill’s bank accounts, as the former couple had a fortune of $11.2 billion and $130 billion respectively, according to Forbes.
Melinda looked chic as ever as she wore a floral midi dress with a pair of orange heels.
She let her beautiful locks fall over her shoulders and dressed with a white bag before throwing a yellow cardigan over her shoulders.
Jennifer beamed in an all-white outfit as she donned a silver Mount Sinai stole.
The exes arrived to the elegant eatery in separate cars and didn’t hold back when it came to partying
The family was joined by their youngest daughter, Phoebe, who they were last seen celebrating with on her birthday in September
Melinda looked chic as ever as she wore a floral midi dress with a pair of orange heels
Bill kept his look professional and simple, wearing a navy blue suit with a purple tie.
Phoebe, 21, followed her mom’s theme and donned a purple floral dress and threw a black coat over it.
The family enjoyed a very extensive lunch before leaving separately.
Last month, Jennifer — who has a medical degree — announced that she had applied for her residency at Mount Sinai’s pediatrics program, meaning she will maintain her status as a New York resident for at least the next few years.
Jennifer’s younger sister has also been spending a lot of time in New York lately, despite currently being enrolled at Stanford University in California, where she is studying human biology, according to her online profile.
Since her divorce from Bill, Melinda has maintained a very close bond with her daughters and regularly takes Phoebe on trips around the world.
However, a few weeks ago she was the center of headlines when she stepped out into New York City wearing a huge diamond ring.
The family enjoyed a very extensive lunch before leaving separately
Jennifer beamed in an all-white outfit as she donned a silver Mount Sinai stole
The family certainly accomplished the feat with an expensive lunch at the lavish restaurant, where a side of arugula will set diners back a staggering $18.
Her outing came just a day after she was first spotted modeling the dazzling diamond as she landed in the city in a private helicopter on Saturday, prompting many to wonder if she was planning to date her former Fox News presenter Jon to walk down the aisle. Du Pre, with whom she was first linked in 2022.
But the billionaire philanthropist quickly shut down any suggestion she and 65-year-old Jon are headed to the altar as she addressed the speculation through her rep in a statement this morning, confirming the couple have split – and insisting that she currently does not. engaged to anyone.
“Melinda is not engaged and no longer in a relationship with Jon Du Pre,” a spokesperson told Page Six.
However, the mum-of-three, who hasn’t had any public romances since her relationship with Jon was revealed in 2022, seemed more willing to hide the trinket during her latest outing – crossing her arms over her chest in what could very well have been are. an attempt to hide the dazzler from view.
Aside from the statement ring, Melinda did her best to blend in with a simple black jacket and matching black jeans, which she paired with some $850 multi-colored Chloe sneakers, a $1,600 Celine bag, and a pair of sunglasses standing on the floor. on her head.
Since her divorce from Bill (seen together in 2019), Melinda has maintained a very close bond with her daughters and regularly takes Phoebe on trips around the world.
The couple released a statement at the time of their split, revealing that it wasn’t just ‘one moment’ that led to it
The 27-year-old medical student, the eldest child of Microsoft co-founder Bill and Melinda, moved into a $51 million penthouse in Manhattan’s trendy Tribeca neighborhood.
Melinda and Bill separated in 2021 after nearly three decades of marriage.
The couple released a statement at the time of their split, revealing that it wasn’t just “one moment” that led to it.
Despite their estranged relationship, the pair of parents still seem to adore their children – with Jennifer enjoying many of the luxuries that come with having billionaire parents.
Jennifer knew from an early age that she would have to make her own way because she would not inherit her parents’ billions, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t live a life of luxury.
The 27-year-old medical student, the eldest child of Microsoft co-founder Bill and Melinda, moved into a $51 million penthouse in Manhattan’s trendy Tribeca neighborhood.
Jennifer and her husband, Olympic jumper Nayel Nassar, 33, have one child together, a baby daughter named Leila, and they have plenty of room for their growing family in their new six-bedroom home.
The move comes six years after her father, Bill, said he will give away the vast majority of his billions to prevent his children from being spoiled.
However, his eldest daughter has already proven to have a strong work ethic, and the impending arrival of his first grandchild may have prompted him to buy the lavish penthouse for her.