The Untold Truth Of Phoebe Adele Gates
Phoebe Adele Gates, born to famous philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates, is not exactly what you'd consider your average young woman, considering the family she was born into. As the youngest child of the Gates brood (which also includes older sister Jennifer Gates and older brother Rory Gates), Phoebe is often thrust into the spotlight whether she likes it or not. Alas, on the heels of her parents' highly publicized and shocking separation announcement in May 2021, Phoebe is once again landing squarely on the tip of tongues everywhere.
So besides being born to two powerful parents with a penchant for all things tech and giving back on a global scale, what else is there to know about the youngest and über-private Gates daughter? (Besides the fact that she'll have to adjust to a new normal with her parents' divorce, of course.) Here's the untold truth of Phoebe Adele Gates.
Phoebe loves to dance
Though her parents may be tech junkies, it appears Phoebe Adele Gates prefers to march or — plie, rather – to the beat of her own drum.
As reported by Suggest, at one point Phoebe had major aspirations of becoming a professional ballerina. According to the publication, Phoebe received an education at the Professional Children's School in New York City, but she also attended The School of American Ballet at the prestigious Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, where she honed her craft and sharpened her skill set. But her dancer's education didn't stop there — she also studied at the highly acclaimed Juilliard School, a performing arts school famous for churning out talented actors like Robin Williams, Adam Driver, and Patti Lupone.
Luckily for Phoebe, it appears that her parents are her biggest fans and very supportive of her endeavors. Per Parade, the aspiring dancer often shares videos on social media of herself and her famous Papa Bear busting a move together!
She is an avid reader
Another pastime that Phoebe Adele Gates and her father, Microsoft tycoon Bill Gates, enjoy together: diving into a good book. In 2018, the proud father gushed in an Instagram post about his and Phoebe's fondness for reading books, especially anything by New York Times bestselling author John Green. "My daughter Phoebe and I love reading all kinds of books and are big fans of @johngreenwritesbooks," Bill penned in the post. "We both couldn't put down his new novel, 'Turtles All the Way Down,' which tells the story of a young woman who tracks down a missing billionaire," he continued.
But what was Phoebe's take on the book? Per Papa Bear Bill, Phoebe had her own review of the read. "For years I have been a loyal John Green fan — devouring his novels in the back of coffee shops, while traveling and curled up on my couch. Something about the imagery of his books makes me get caught up in the fantasy of his stories, but 'Turtles All the Way Down' hit closer to home for me than the rest," she dished.
Be right back while we go grab "Turtles All the Way Down" from the nearest library!
Phoebe Adele Gates was raised with limited screen time
One might assume that as the daughter of Bill and Melinda Gates, Phoebe Adele Gates grew up with every technological gadget available at her fingertips 24/7, but that actually couldn't be further from the truth. During a 2017 interview with the Mirror, the famous tech founder revealed that he did not allow any of his children to have a smartphone until they were 14 years old. "They complained other kids got them earlier," Bill confessed about the decision, but still he didn't budge.
It's also reported that he set firm boundaries when it came to the use of the devices, including the amount of screen time the children could have before bedtime and a strict no-phone policy at the dinner table. "We often set a time after which there is no screen time and in their case that helps them get to sleep at a reasonable hour," Bill explained.
But as it turns out, Bill is not the only one to implement strict rules regarding electronics. Per Inc., moguls like Steve Jobs also enforced strict limits when it comes to their children's screen time.
She doesn't stand to inherit billions
It's widely known that tech magnate Bill Gates is worth a whopping $130 billion (per Forbes), but according to the famous father of three, he has no intention of passing all of his wealth on to his children — including his youngest daughter Phoebe Adele Gates. In a now famous interview with the British daytime show "This Morning," Bill shocked the masses when he announced that he would not be leaving his entire fortune to his children. "Our kids will receive a great education and some money so they are never going to be poorly off but they'll go out and have their own career," he explained. "It's not a favor to kids to have them have huge sums of wealth. It distorts anything they might do, creating their own path. This money is dedicated to helping the poorest."
But how does Phoebe feel about the decision? According to Bill, all three children support their parents' decision. "They know that, they are proud of that, they go on trips with us to see the work that's being done," he declared.
Sounds like Phoebe Gates has been given all of the proper tools to be successful in life — including a level head on her shoulders! Still, her rumored $10 million inheritance is nothing to sneeze at.
She has a great relationship with her siblings
Alongside beautiful photos of herself, Phoebe Adele Gates' Instagram is splattered with lovely images of Jennifer Gates and Rory Gates — both of whom she has a close relationship with. In April 2020, the youngest Gates took to Instagram, sharing a sweet tribute to Jennifer on her 24th birthday. "Happy birthday to the queen of the power walk," she wrote. "You are kind, loving, driven, and my confidant. Happy birthday to the most amazing sister."
The special bond between the two sisters was evident in October 2021 when Jennifer tied the knot with her longtime partner, Nayel Nassar. According to People, Phoebe was one of the many bridesmaids — whom Jennifer lovingly described as "some of my favorite women" in an Instagram post.
Months after the wedding, Phoebe was back on the 'gram, showering praises on Jennifer (and her husband) in yet another heartwarming post. "Happy Valentine's Day to the couple I look up to in a million ways," she wrote. "Celebrating your love this year was the greatest privilege of my life." In addition to Jennifer, Phoebe also seemingly has a close bond with her older brother who has made a few appearances on her social media as well.
Phoebe grew up in a sophisticated home
Phoebe Adele Gates and her siblings might not have owned any tech-forward gadgets as kids, but they sure grew up around a lot of 'em — or in this case, in them. The Gates siblings were raised in Bill Gates' Medina Washington Estate — aka Xanadu 2.0 — which he purchased in 1988, per Hello Magazine. According to the outlet, Bill bought Xanadu 2.0 for $2 million but ended up transforming it into his dream home over a period of seven years at a cost of $63 million.
Business Insider reports that the mansion boasts seven bathrooms, a 200-guest reception hall, 24 bathrooms, six kitchens, and a 20-seat movie theater. Of course, these are only a few of the mansion's many regular features, as some others are a bit more over the top. These include a 20-foot high trampoline room, an artificial stream, sand beach imported from St. Lucia, and several computer screens, totaling a whopping $80,000.
There are also exceptional features like an electronically monitored tree, high-tech sensors that help guests monitor their temperature around the house, and a 60-ft pool with its own music system. Of course, when your father is one of the richest men in the world and one of the biggest influences in the technology space, your house should be everything but regular.
Her parents held off their divorce until she finished school
In May 2021, Bill Gates and Melinda Gates shocked the world when they announced their divorce — after nearly three decades together. Melinda would later open up about the split during an appearance on CBS, admitting that her marriage to Bill had simply stopped working. "It wasn't one moment or one specific thing that happened," she claimed. "There just came a point in time where there was enough there that I realized it just wasn't healthy and I couldn't trust what we had."
Sure, it pretty much sounds like just another love story turned sour, but Phoebe Adele Gates apparently something to do with her parents' eventual decision to get a divorce. According to sources close to Bill and Melinda, the love between the two had long gone awry, but it was in fact Phoebe's graduation from high school that prompted them to take the final step toward separation. "It's absolutely because their youngest child is graduating from high school, and the idea was that they stayed together through that," an insider told People. "They limped through until their kids were out of school like a lot of people."
However, regardless of their divorce, Bill and Melinda still have a close relationship with each other and even better, with the kids!
Phoebe Adele Gates graduated from Lakeside School like her dad
According to Radar Online, Phoebe Adele Gates graduated from high school in June 2021, and we could tell it was an absolute proud moment for Bill Gates (also an alumnus of the school) who took to Instagram with a tribute dedicated to his youngest daughter. "Congratulations on your graduation, Phoebe. You have grown into such a kind, positive, and wonderful adult, and I'm so incredibly proud to be your dad," he wrote. Per Business Insider, both Jennifer Gates and Rory Gates also graduated from Lakeside School. Lakeside is, however, not the only school the Gates have a thing for.
In her congratulatory post to Phoebe on her high school graduation, Jennifer Gates hinted that her youngest sibling had in fact been admitted to Stanford University. "Pheebs — I can't believe this day is here (time flies!) but you are wise beyond your years, and so ready for this next incredible chapter in your journey," Jennifer wrote. "I love you, I am immensely proud of you and can't wait for all that's to come at Stanford ( !!!) and beyond." Phoebe has also seemingly confirmed her status as a Stanford student on her Instagram bio which also hints at her expected graduation year.
She has traveled to a lot of places
If anything, Phoebe Adele Gates has proved herself to be a travel lover. In May 2019, Phoebe shared a carousel of pictures from a trip to Peru. While the first image captured her in a warm embrace with a Peru native, another saw her hiking with a group of people. "Missing this right about now," she captioned. When she is not traveling, Phoebe seems to be out finding the next adventure. In 2020, she ushered in the new year with pictures of herself climbing a rock. She captioned the post: "Climbing on into 2020 like ..."
In May 2021, Phoebe gave fans another glimpse into some of her adventures when she shared a photo of herself out with some friends. Several other pictures on her Instagram have also further proved Phoebe's love for travel. No doubt, many more trips and adventure await her in the years to come.