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Meet Phoebe Gates, Bill and Melinda Gates’ youngest daughter: the fashion-loving teen is always in Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Fendi and studies at Stanford – but why was she just slammed by trolls?

STORYCarla Thomas
No one associated Bill Gates with glamour – until his daughter Phoebe came along, that is! Photo: @phoebegates/Instagram
No one associated Bill Gates with glamour – until his daughter Phoebe came along, that is! Photo: @phoebegates/Instagram
Fame and celebrity

  • Phoebe Gates recently wowed red carpet watchers in a Versace x Fendi number famously worn by Naomi Campbell, and always seems to be clad head to toe in luxury brands
  • She grew up in a US$127 million house with 7 bedrooms and 6 kitchens, is already a social justice warrior like her dad – but she and her siblings Jennifer and Rory won’t inherit his fortune

Not many people can say they were raised by the richest man in the world – but most people aren’t Phoebe Gates. The 19-year-old is the youngest child of mega-wealthy tech mogul Bill Gates – currently worth around US$113 billion – and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates.
Bill Gates’ youngest child Phoebe Gates is just 19, but already living her best life. Photo: @thisisbillgates/Instagram
Bill Gates’ youngest child Phoebe Gates is just 19, but already living her best life. Photo: @thisisbillgates/Instagram

Active on social media, Phoebe loves to post her jet set lifestyle on Instagram to her 156,000 followers and often seems to be at either a party, a fashion show or on holiday. But last month, she found herself the target of a torrent of racist abuse from trolls after she posted pics of her new boyfriend on Instagram Stories.

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Phoebe Gates introduced her mystery boyfriend with this cheeky post – and the internet went crazy. Photo: @phoebegates/Instagram
Phoebe Gates introduced her mystery boyfriend with this cheeky post – and the internet went crazy. Photo: @phoebegates/Instagram

Not one to shy away from a fight, the stunning brunette has apparently leaned into the backlash, posting even more snaps of her and her mysterious new beau this week as she introduced him to mum Melinda while all three holidayed together in London. Good on you, Gates!

Here’s what else we know about Bill and Melinda’s youngest daughter.

Her childhood was extremely privileged

Bill Gates with a young Phoebe Gates – by the time she was born, her dad was already a multibillionaire. Photo: @phoebegates/Instagram
Bill Gates with a young Phoebe Gates – by the time she was born, her dad was already a multibillionaire. Photo: @phoebegates/Instagram
By the time Phoebe was born and raised just outside the tech hub of Seattle in 2002, Bill was already worth over US$50 billion. So it’s no surprise that Phoebe, her sister Jennifer and little brother Rory grew up very comfortably. She attended the country’s best private schools, including the prestigious Lakeside School, where tuition costs over US$40,000 a year.
Bill Gates’ lakeside home in Medina, Washington is the ultimate in sustainable luxury living – Phoebe Gates certainly didn’t want for anything growing up here. Photo: TNS
Bill Gates’ lakeside home in Medina, Washington is the ultimate in sustainable luxury living – Phoebe Gates certainly didn’t want for anything growing up here. Photo: TNS

Her family home was just as extravagant – a sprawling 66,000 sq ft lakefront mansion worth an estimated US$127 million. The property has seven bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, six kitchens, a library, home cinema, reception hall, trampoline room, a 23 car garage and a 18-metre (60-foot) pool.

She’s studying at one of the country’s best schools

Bill Gates may be known for his simple button down shirts and dad jumpers, but daughter Phoebe Gates is all about fashion. Photo: @phoebegates/Instagram
Bill Gates may be known for his simple button down shirts and dad jumpers, but daughter Phoebe Gates is all about fashion. Photo: @phoebegates/Instagram
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