Melinda French Gates

Melinda Ann French Gates  (née French; August 15, 1964) is an American business woman who once worked at Microsoft. She was married to Bill Gates. They met while she was working for Microsoft.

She graduated from Duke University and started working at Microsoft in 1987. She was awarded an honorary damehood (knighthood for women) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2014 for her services to charity and international development. As an American citizen, she cannot be called "Dame Melinda", but can use the letters "DBE" after her name. She is currently a philanthropist and is running the "Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation" with her ex-husband. She has three children : Phoebe Adele Gates, Rory John Gates, and Jennifer Katharine Gates. In May 2006, she received an award from the Gates Foundation.

On May 3, 2021, Bill and Melinda Gates announced that they had decided to divorce after 27 years of marriage, and 34 years as a couple. The couple said they will continue to do charity work together.

References 

Other websites

Melinda Gates Goes Public, Fortune magazine, January 4, 2008
Melinda Gates Philanthropic Profile , GiveSmart.org, November, 2012

Category:Businesspeople from Texas
Category:Bill Gates
Category:1964 births
Category:Living people