Bill Gates has publicly confirmed his relationship with Paula Hurd, calling her his “serious girlfriend” and describing their time together as enjoyable. The 69-year-old Microsoft co-founder shared this during an interview on TODAY, offering a rare glimpse into his personal life since his 2021 divorce from Melinda French Gates.
“I’m lucky to have a serious girlfriend named Paula,” Gates stated. “So we’re having fun, going to the Olympics and lots of great things.”
While the couple has been seen together at various public events since 2022, they only confirmed their relationship last year. Their public appearances include attending the 2024 Olympics.
Paula Hurd, the widow of former Oracle CEO Mark Hurd, is known for her extensive philanthropic work, particularly in education and healthcare. She and Mark were married until his passing in 2019, and they had two daughters together. For over two decades, she’s been involved in fundraising for numerous non-profit organizations.
Hurd is also acknowledged in Gates’ recently released memoir, Source Code, where he credits her as one of the early readers of his manuscript.
The memoir details Gates’ formative years, from childhood to his early career at Microsoft, concluding a few years after its 1975 founding with Paul Allen.
Reflecting on the book during his TODAY interview, Gates described revisiting his past as a unique experience. He said, “This year, I turn 70, Microsoft turns 50, and so I thought, OK, I should share what luck I had to have amazing parents, you know, the way they let me go out and hike and try new things. I was just unbelievably lucky, and, you know, that’s why Microsoft ended up being so successful.”
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