Melinda French Gates is embracing a new chapter in her life, revealing that she is in a relationship following her 2021 divorce from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

In an interview published on April 2, the 60-year-old philanthropist confirmed she is dating but chose to keep details about her partner private. "I am, yes," she shared with a smile, adding, "I'm very, very happy."

Although Melinda has not publicly named her new partner, she was previously seen holding hands with tech entrepreneur Philip Vaughn in New York City in October, ENews said.

Vaughn, 48, is the founder of Tavour, a craft beer delivery company, and formerly worked at Microsoft for over eight years until 2008, according to his LinkedIn profile.

According to TMZ, this is not Melinda's first relationship since her split from Bill Gates. In November 2022, she was romantically linked to former Fox News correspondent Jon Du Pre. However, by April 2024, a spokesperson confirmed that she was "no longer dating" him.

Melinda French Gates Opens Up About Love, Life, and Moving Forward

Melinda and Bill, who share three children—Jennifer Gates Nassar, 28, Rory Gates, 25, and Phoebe Gates, 22—finalized their divorce in August 2021 after 27 years of marriage.

Despite their separation, both have spoken publicly about their continued respect for each other and their shared philanthropic work.

Bill Gates has also moved forward in his personal life, dating Paula Hurd, the widow of former Oracle CEO Mark Hurd. The couple has been together for over two years.

Reflecting on his past marriage, Bill described their divorce as "the mistake I most regret," telling The Times, "The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years."

Melinda, who has been open about her journey after divorce, previously shared with TIME that she was looking for a partner who is "open to learning, vibrant, smart, and someone who challenges me and that I challenge."

For now, Melinda says she is enjoying her time with loved ones and balancing her personal life with her ongoing philanthropic work, People said.

When asked about the possibility of remarriage, she stated, "If it's the right person and the right time, I could see it. The nice thing at my age is there's just no rush. The pressure's off."

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Melinda french gates, Bill gates