Meet Rory Gates, Bill Gates’ only son who attracted attention in a rare appearance

Rory, the only son of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, whom he shares with ex-wife Melinda French Gates, attended the White House state dinner earlier this week with his mother.

Melinda, 59, attended the event in honor of Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto and his wife, Rachel Ruto, arm in arm with Rory, marking his 25th birthday. People reported.

So let’s learn more about the young man who could one day become CEO of Microsoft.

Who is Rory Gates?

Melinda once described her son as “compassionate and curious.”

He leads a reserved life with private social media accounts, a love of puzzles and a close relationship with his mother, according to the South China Morning Post.

He was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew up in a massive $150 million mansion nicknamed Xanadu 2.0, with his two sisters, Jennifer, three years older than him, and Phoebe, three years younger.

Rory attended Seattle’s elite Lakeside School, like his father, then pursued bachelor’s degrees in software engineering and economics at Duke University, like his mother.

He then earned his MBA from the Fuqua School of Business.

Melinda has previously spoken about Rory’s upbringing as a feminist, saying he doesn’t shy away from discussing gender equality.

Rory graduated from the University of Chicago in 2022, earning “a double major and a master’s degree” in just four years.