“You know, I think those are questions Bill needs to answer.”
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- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
- #corroborated
Figure timeline
Melinda Gates
Melinda Ann French Gates is an American philanthropist. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, she attended Duke University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in computer science and economics and an MBA. She joined Microsoft in 1987 as a multimedia product developer. In the same year, she began dating the company's co-founder and then-chief executive Bill Gates, whom she married in 1994 and divorce…
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business · American philanthropist (born 1964) · businessperson · patron of the arts · philanthropist · founder · entrepreneur · also Melinda Gates, Melinda French Gates, M. Gates, Gates
Born 15 August 1964 · Q463877
86 published statements · 0 followers
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2026· 15 entries
“Friends is a different word for me … that might come over time but for me there’s still healing that needs to happen.”
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- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
- #corroborated
“Any of the questions remaining about Bill’s relationship … those are for Bill to answer.”
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- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
- #corroborated
“certainly believe[s] in forgiveness, and so I thought we had worked through some of that”
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- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
- #corroborated
TechCrunch: Melinda Gates’ venture firm backs Magnify Ventures’ $46.6M Fund II
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- #headline
Public attention spiked: 8,423 Wikipedia readers in one day, 8× the usual 1,058, with 0 article edits.
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Public attention spiked: 6,726 Wikipedia readers in one day, 6.4× the usual 1,058, with 2 article edits. Editors noted: Philanthropy 2022, 59.1-b, is wrong, 2022/ 34 = 59.4-b, is right,
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Public attention spiked: 3,349 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3.2× the usual 1,058, with 1 article edits.
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Published video “Right Care, Right Time: It’s Time to Stop Neglecting Women’s Health”.
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- #youtube
- #self-published
jezebel: Melinda Gates on Epstein Files: ‘I Am So Happy to Be Away from All the Muck’
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- #headline
Yahoo: Melinda Gates speaks out after latest Epstein files release details allegations against Bill Gates
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- #headline
Snopes.com rated the claim “Emails written by the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein claimed he provided Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates drugs for an STD in order "to deal with consequences of sex with Russian girls."” True.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
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- #rated
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Uinterview: Melinda Gates Responds To Sordid Revelations About Ex Bill Gates In Latest Epstein Files: ‘Some Very, Very Painful Times In My Marriage’
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Yahoo: Melinda Gates Responds To Explosive Epstein Files Claims About Ex-Husband, Bill Gates
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French Gates joined the ownership group of the Seattle Kraken as a minority owner
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- #wikipedia
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2025· 15 entries
Published video “Return on Impact: Meet Three Founders Reimagining Care”.
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- #self-published
Published video “Melinda French Gates Meets Chicago’s Future Leaders”.
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Published video “Teens Tell Melinda French Gates What Adults Should Know About Their Lives Online”.
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Published video “Melinda French Gates Meets the Young People Behind the Life-Saving Robots of Tomorrow”.
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- #self-published
Published video “Moments That Make Us: Amanda Nguyen on Dreaming Big and Finding Common Ground”.
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- #self-published
Published video “Moments That Make Us: How Robin Roberts Became One of America’s Most Beloved News Anchors”.
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- #self-published
Published video “Moments That Make Us: Serena Williams on Tennis, Family, and Impact Investing”.
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- #self-published
Published video “Moments That Make Us: Jamie Lee Curtis on the Experiences That Transformed Her Life”.
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- #self-published
Published video “Moments That Make Us with Melinda French Gates”.
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Insider: Inside the life and career of Melinda Gates, philanthropist and one of the world's richest and most powerful women
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Published the book The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward, also through Flatiron Books
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Reported net worth: $29B (as of 2025).
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- #wikidata
- #net-worth
Published a memoir, The Next Day: Transition, Change and Moving Forward
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Was estimated at $US30 billion, has pledged to give away the majority of her wealth
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French Gates went public with a new relationship with Philip Vaughn
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2024· 7 entries
Snopes rated the claim “Melinda French Gates donated $52 million to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign in July 2024.” Unfounded.
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- #fact-check
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French Gates resigned as co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to be effective June 7
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USA Today rated the claim “The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said math lessons are 'racist'” False.
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USA Today rated the claim “Bill Gates is responsible for 88% of the WHO's funding” False.
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On May 13, 2024, French Gates resigned as co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to be effective June 7.
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- #life
- #philanthropy
“s Health, which aims to provide $250 million in grants to fund women”
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Gates became sole chair of the renamed Gates Foundation
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2023· 3 entries
Reported claimRated We have found no evidence that thousands of girls were left injured or disabled. While seven girls on the vaccination programme died, a committee set up by the Indian Government found that none of these deaths were likely to have been linked to the vaccine. · Full Fact
Full Fact rated the claim “An HPV vaccine trial by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation left thousands of Indian girls from tribal communities disabled or injured.” We have found no evidence that thousands of girls were left injured or disabled. While seven girls on the vaccination programme died, a committee set up by the Indian Government found that none of these deaths were likely to have been linked to the vaccine..
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Reported claimRated This is false. The Gates Foundation is still working in India and has an office in Delhi. · Full Fact
Full Fact rated the claim “The Indian Parliament kicked the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation out of India.” This is false. The Gates Foundation is still working in India and has an office in Delhi..
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Lead Stories rated the claim “Rainforest Alliance labeled products contain herbicide that changes human gender and the organization owned by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation” Not Poisonous.
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2021· 5 entries
India Today rated the claim “WHO, John Hopkins University, World Economic Forum, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have jointly created a list of different Covid-19 variants along with their 'launch dates'.” False.
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Awarded BBC 100 Women (2021).
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- #award
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Won Radcliffe Medal (2021).
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Reported claimRated It was run by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in partnership with the World Economic Forum and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. · Full Fact
Full Fact rated the claim “Event 201 was run by the Johns Hopkins University in cahoots with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.” It was run by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in partnership with the World Economic Forum and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation..
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In May 2021, after 27 years of marriage, Bill and Melinda Gates announced their decision to divorce.
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- #personal-life
2020· 1 entry
PolitiFact rated the claim “Photo shows “Dr. Fauci, Melinda Gates and Barack Obama at the Wuhan Lab in 2015.”” Pants on Fire.
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2019· 3 entries
Africa Check rated the claim “Bill Gates refused to vaccinate his own children” Hoax.
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French Gates debuted as an author with the book The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World
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Committed to $US1 billion in funding, and in 2025 committed another $US1 billion
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2017· 1 entry
President François Hollande awarded France's highest national honor to French Gates and her husband, for their charitable efforts, i
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2016· 4 entries
Snopes rated the claim “Bill and Melinda Gates started a web site to give away free college textbooks.” Mixture.
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- #rated
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Won Otto Hahn Peace Medal (2016).
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- #wikidata
- #trophy
- #achievement
Won Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by Barack Obama (2016).
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- #wikidata
- #trophy
- #achievement
President Barack Obama awarded French Gates and her husband with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, for their philanthropic efforts
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2015· 1 entry
French Gates founded Pivotal Ventures as a separate, independent organization to identify and implement innovative solutions to problems affecting U
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2014· 2 entries
Awarded Chatham House Prize (2014).
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Career landmark: Participated in commencement at the Stanford University (tournament / event).
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2013· 7 entries
Won NAS Public Welfare Medal (2013).
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Awarded Forbes list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women (2013).
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- #award
- #achievement
Awarded Lasker-Bloomberg Public Service Award (2013).
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- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Awarded honorary doctor of the Duke University presented by Duke University (2013).
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- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
For services to philanthropy and international development
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- #event
- #corroborated
- #www.theguardian.com
In honor of her philanthropic commitment
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2014, 2015 and 2017, #4 in 2012 and 2016, #5 in 2020 and 2021, and #6 in 2011, 2018, 2019 and 2022, #10 in 2023
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2010· 2 entries
Awarded J. William Fulbright Prize (2010).
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- #award
- #achievement
Awarded United Nations Population Award (2010).
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- #award
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2009· 3 entries
Awarded Cross of Recognition (2009).
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- #award
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Awarded honorary doctorate from the University of Cambridge presented by University of Cambridge (2009).
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And her then-husband received honorary degrees from the University of Cambridge
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2007· 1 entry
French Gates received an honorary doctorate in medicine from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden
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2006· 1 entry
In recognition of their world impact through charitable giving
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2005· 1 entry
Awarded Time Person of the Year (2005).
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- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2002· 2 entries
Awarded Jefferson Awards for Public Service (2002).
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- #wikidata
- #award
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Melinda and Bill Gates received the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, an award given out, annually, by Jefferson Awards
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2000· 2 entries
Set up the Gates Cambridge Trust, which funds postgraduate scholars from outside the UK to study at the university
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Since 2000, French Gates has been in the public eye, stating "As I thought about strong women of history, I realized that they stepped out in some way." This has allowed her work shaping and advancing the goals of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to be publicly recognized.
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- #wikipedia
- #life
- #philanthropy
1998· 2 entries
Awarded American Library Association Honorary Membership (1998).
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- #award
- #achievement
Melinda and Bill Gates were each honored with an American Library Association Honorary Membership
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1994· 2 entries
Married Gates in a private ceremony held in Lānaʻi, Hawaii
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In 1994, she married Gates in a private ceremony held in Lānaʻi, Hawaii.
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- #wikipedia
- #life
- #personal-life
1987· 2 entries
After meeting him at a trade fair in New York
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Studied at Fuqua School of Business, Master of Business Administration (1987).
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- #wikidata
- #education
1986· 2 entries
And an MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business in 1987
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- #event
Studied at Duke University, bachelor's degree (1986).
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- #wikidata
- #education
1982· 1 entry
Studied at Ursuline Academy of Dallas (1982).
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- #wikidata
- #education
1964· 1 entry
Born 1964-08-15.
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- #wikidata
- #birth