Last month, Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates officially became grandparents for the first time. Their daughter, Jennifer Gates, welcomed her first child – a baby girl – with husband Nayel Nassar, sharing the news in a joint Instagram post on March 4 – but they didn’t reveal their daughter’s name or birth date.
Bill and Melinda met in 1987 and eventually tied the knot on January 1, 1994 in Lanai – the sixth largest Hawaiian island. They share three children together – Jennifer (born on April 26, 1996), Rory Gates (born on May 23, 1999), and Phoebe Gates (born on September 14, 2002). Bill and Melinda divorced in 2021.
As for Jennifer and Nayel, they started dating in January 2017 and got engaged three years later in January 2020. The couple tied the knot in October 2021 after nearly five years together and announced the pregnancy in November 2022. Jennifer revealed it was a baby girl in December after a baby shower.
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On April 6, both Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates took to their separate Instagram accounts and posted their first photos of them embracing their first grandchild. While Melinda was still letting the surreal moment sink in, Bill was already sharing his excitement for all the little girl will accomplish in the future.
“There is nothing quite like holding your first grandchild ???? It seems like just yesterday I was holding Jenn at this age,” Melinda wrote – sharing a feeling that all grandmothers can relate to. “Now she has a baby of her own—and I am bursting with pride watching her and Nayel step into their new role as parents.”
Many were quick to share their excitement for Melinda in the comments section – including her younger daughter, Phoebe, who commented two eye-heart emojis. Others to comment were Ali Wentworth, Ava Duvernay, Alexis Ohanian, Dyllan McGee, Dr. Shini Somara, Malala , and much more.
As for Bill Gates, he kept his caption short – writing, “I can’t wait to watch you discover the world.” His new granddaughter will have some big shoes to fill, but she’ll grow up in a loving household with a loving family. Sending their congratulations and well wishes in the comments section included Dax Shepard.
Bill Gates Answers Questions About Being a Grandfather
Also on April 6, Bill Gates posted a video of him sitting down fielding questions about what it means to be a grandfather and how it’s going so far. “Kids are so fascinated by the world around them—and I hope I can foster that curiosity as a grandfather,” he wrote in the caption before questions appear on the screen.
He was first asked how he feels about being a grandfather. He finds it ‘thrilling’ to watch his kids figure out how they want to parent and how they meet the many challenges of parenting. He was also asked what he thinks the role of a grandfather is. “The relationship of a grandparent to a child is a nice one,” he said.
“It’s kind of an addition to what they have with their parents and it’s kind of a supporting role,” he added. He also says the most important traits of a good grandfather is setting a good example. Playing with them, helping them learn, and attending to all the things they show curiosity about is also important.
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When asked how he plans on helping out, to which he replied: “Both to create an adventure for the grandchild and give parents some time off. So I’m very looking forward to that, as well as helping my daughter and son-in-law in any way I can.”