Ex-spouses Bill and Melinda Gates showed their unity this week when they got together to celebrate their daughter Jennifer’s graduation from Columbia University.
Jennifer, 27, received her master’s degree in public health this week and her billionaire parents came together to support her – two years after their split. The graduation party is one of the few times they’ve been spotted together since their divorce was announced.
The mother-of-one shared a photo of herself posing in a cap and gown alongside Bill, 67, and Melinda, 58, and husband Nayel Nassar.
“Thank you @ColumbiaPublicHealth for this incredible educational opportunity and the community around me for making this possible,” she captioned it. ‘Thankful.’
Putting their differences aside: Ex-partners Bill and Melinda Gates got back together to celebrate their daughter Jennifer’s graduation from Columbia University
Jennifer, 27, received her master’s degree in public health this week, and her billionaire parents were by her side to celebrate the feat
Impressive: The mother-of-one also revealed in her Stories that she received an award for “Excellence in Public Health”.
In the photo, Melinda wore a pink and orange dress with a matching sweater, while the Microsoft founder opted for a dark blue suit.
Jennifer, who gave birth to her first child in April, a baby girl whose name has not yet been released, also announced in her Stories that she has received an award for “Excellence in Public Health”.
While they were together, Bill and Melinda had three children – including Jennifer and her siblings Rory, 23, and Phoebe, 20
It’s not the first time Bill and Melinda have put their differences aside to be there for their kids.
They also reunited to walk daughter Jennifer down the aisle at her wedding to Nayel in October 2021.
The former couple announced their divorce in May 2021 after 27 years of marriage.
Five months later, Melinda opened up about the “incredibly painful” breakup wealth magazine while explaining that she “just couldn’t stay in this marriage any longer.”
“I had some reasons why I just couldn’t stay in this marriage anymore,” she explained. “It’s incredibly painful in so many ways, but I’ve had the privacy to go through it.”
While they were together, the couple had three children – including Jennifer and her siblings Rory, 23, and Phoebe, 20.
This isn’t the first time they’ve put their differences aside to be there for their kids. They also reunited to walk daughter Jennifer down the aisle at her wedding to Nayel in October 2021
Adding to her family: Jennifer gave birth to her first child in April, a baby girl whose name has not yet been released
The former couple (seen with Jennifer’s baby) announced their divorce in May 2021 after 27 years of marriage
They also co-founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, and after going their separate ways, the exes continued to run the organization together — which Melinda said helped her weather the breakup.
“I kept working with the person I wanted to break up with, and I had to show up every day and do my best,” she explained.
“Even though I might cry at 9 a.m. and then have to video conference at 10 a.m. with the person I’m leaving, I have to show up and do my best.”
Melinda told it before Good morning America that her and ex-husband’s “philanthropy” helped them get through their breakup, claiming that it “kept them together, allowed for more grace” and “smoothed things out” on some of the “hardest” aspects of the breakup .
Five months later, Melinda opened up to Fortune magazine about the “incredibly painful” breakup, explaining that she “just couldn’t stay in this marriage any longer.”
There have been rumors that she has moved in with former Fox News host Jon Du Pre (pictured), 68
Bill is reportedly dating philanthropist Paula Kalupa (pictured together in March), 60
“Our philanthropy has truly called us to do our best, even in the most difficult of times behind the scenes,” she said in August 2022.
“We went over the details of the divorce and were sad, but we both showed up for the foundation anyway.”
“I think that kept us together and allowed for more grace during that time, and since then it’s kind of smoothed things out in the background.”
She added that her “primary concern” has always been to “protect her children” and that she is grateful that she and Bill are now “on the other side.”
There have been rumors that she has moved in with former Fox News host Jon Du Pre, 68, while Bill is reportedly dating philanthropist Paula Kalupa, 60.
