Jennifer and Phoebe Gates Celebrate Mom Melinda’s 60th Birthday: 'You Inspire Me Forever'

Mar. 15, 2025

(L-R) Melinda French Gates, Phoebe Gates.Photo:Phoebe Gates/InstagramMelinda French Gatesis getting all the love for her milestone birthday!On Thursday, Aug. 15, as French Gates celebrated turning 60, she received a pair of loving tributes from daughtersJennifer, 28, andPhoebe, 21.“Mom, you taught me first and most about love,” Phoebe, whorecently graduated from Stanford University, wrote in herbirthday message. “You inspire me forever, and always, and now the whole world. Happiest birthday to you. 💕.”She also shared a trio of photos of her and her mother from over the years, including one that dated back to when Phoebe was a young girl.In a separatebirthday message, Jennifer — asoon-to-be mom of 2— thanked her mother for inspiring her to live her best life.“Thank you for loving me unconditionally all these years,” she said. “For modeling for me what motherhood and a career can look like and for reminding me that joy isn’t always in having the answers but in enjoying the moments and seeing where life takes you.“Back in June, French Gates spoke withTimeabout how she felt about the milestone birthday.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I feel like, ‘Wow, I’m 60. I better surround myself with people and still travel [so that] I’m still absolutely learning, because the world is moving, the world is changing,’ ” she said. “I’m totally unencumbered to work in any way I want.”Jennifer Gates Nassar, Melinda French Gates and Phoebe Gates on September 20, 2023 in New York City.Paula Lobo/GettyLeading up her 60th birthday, French Gates launched a YouTube seriescalledMoments That Make Us,where she sat down to ask several women she admires, includingMichelle Obama,Oprah Winfrey,Gayle KingandBillie Jean King, “about their biggest life transitions.“During her conversation with Winfrey, 70, and King, 69, she revealed, “I wouldn’t have gotten through my divorce if it wasn’t for my three closest friends.” Adding, “I couldn’t do that for my soul, and for so many other women that I’ve met who are in painful situations and can’t get out, who aren’t sure they should get out.“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Since her divorce fromBill Gates, French Gates hasstepped away from the Gates Foundationandpledged to donate $1 billion to support women’s rights in the United States. She announced she wasleaving the foundation she co-founded more than two decades agoin May, and her last day at the organization was on June 7.“This is not a decision I came to lightly,” she said. “I am immensely proud of the foundation thatBilland I built together and of the extraordinary work it is doing to address inequities around the world.“Melinda Gates on June 23, 2023 in Paris, France.Christian Liewig/Corbis/GettyDays before she left the foundation, she revealed she will spend the money on “people and organizations working on behalf of women and families around the world, including on reproductive rights in the United States,” over the next two years.At the time, PEOPLE confirmed French Gates had delivered funding to various groups that work to protect and strengthen women’s rights, including theNational Women’s Law Center, theNational Domestic Workers Allianceand theCenter for Reproductive Rights.Additionally, a portion of the $1 billion commitment will also be awarded through an “open call,” which will launch in the fall.

(L-R) Melinda French Gates, Phoebe Gates.Photo:Phoebe Gates/Instagram

Phoebe Gates/Instagram

Melinda French Gatesis getting all the love for her milestone birthday!On Thursday, Aug. 15, as French Gates celebrated turning 60, she received a pair of loving tributes from daughtersJennifer, 28, andPhoebe, 21.“Mom, you taught me first and most about love,” Phoebe, whorecently graduated from Stanford University, wrote in herbirthday message. “You inspire me forever, and always, and now the whole world. Happiest birthday to you. 💕.”She also shared a trio of photos of her and her mother from over the years, including one that dated back to when Phoebe was a young girl.In a separatebirthday message, Jennifer — asoon-to-be mom of 2— thanked her mother for inspiring her to live her best life.“Thank you for loving me unconditionally all these years,” she said. “For modeling for me what motherhood and a career can look like and for reminding me that joy isn’t always in having the answers but in enjoying the moments and seeing where life takes you.“Back in June, French Gates spoke withTimeabout how she felt about the milestone birthday.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I feel like, ‘Wow, I’m 60. I better surround myself with people and still travel [so that] I’m still absolutely learning, because the world is moving, the world is changing,’ ” she said. “I’m totally unencumbered to work in any way I want.”Jennifer Gates Nassar, Melinda French Gates and Phoebe Gates on September 20, 2023 in New York City.Paula Lobo/GettyLeading up her 60th birthday, French Gates launched a YouTube seriescalledMoments That Make Us,where she sat down to ask several women she admires, includingMichelle Obama,Oprah Winfrey,Gayle KingandBillie Jean King, “about their biggest life transitions.“During her conversation with Winfrey, 70, and King, 69, she revealed, “I wouldn’t have gotten through my divorce if it wasn’t for my three closest friends.” Adding, “I couldn’t do that for my soul, and for so many other women that I’ve met who are in painful situations and can’t get out, who aren’t sure they should get out.“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Since her divorce fromBill Gates, French Gates hasstepped away from the Gates Foundationandpledged to donate $1 billion to support women’s rights in the United States. She announced she wasleaving the foundation she co-founded more than two decades agoin May, and her last day at the organization was on June 7.“This is not a decision I came to lightly,” she said. “I am immensely proud of the foundation thatBilland I built together and of the extraordinary work it is doing to address inequities around the world.“Melinda Gates on June 23, 2023 in Paris, France.Christian Liewig/Corbis/GettyDays before she left the foundation, she revealed she will spend the money on “people and organizations working on behalf of women and families around the world, including on reproductive rights in the United States,” over the next two years.At the time, PEOPLE confirmed French Gates had delivered funding to various groups that work to protect and strengthen women’s rights, including theNational Women’s Law Center, theNational Domestic Workers Allianceand theCenter for Reproductive Rights.Additionally, a portion of the $1 billion commitment will also be awarded through an “open call,” which will launch in the fall.

Melinda French Gatesis getting all the love for her milestone birthday!

On Thursday, Aug. 15, as French Gates celebrated turning 60, she received a pair of loving tributes from daughtersJennifer, 28, andPhoebe, 21.

“Mom, you taught me first and most about love,” Phoebe, whorecently graduated from Stanford University, wrote in herbirthday message. “You inspire me forever, and always, and now the whole world. Happiest birthday to you. 💕.”

She also shared a trio of photos of her and her mother from over the years, including one that dated back to when Phoebe was a young girl.

In a separatebirthday message, Jennifer — asoon-to-be mom of 2— thanked her mother for inspiring her to live her best life.

“Thank you for loving me unconditionally all these years,” she said. “For modeling for me what motherhood and a career can look like and for reminding me that joy isn’t always in having the answers but in enjoying the moments and seeing where life takes you.”

Back in June, French Gates spoke withTimeabout how she felt about the milestone birthday.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“I feel like, ‘Wow, I’m 60. I better surround myself with people and still travel [so that] I’m still absolutely learning, because the world is moving, the world is changing,’ ” she said. “I’m totally unencumbered to work in any way I want.”

Jennifer Gates Nassar, Melinda French Gates and Phoebe Gates on September 20, 2023 in New York City.Paula Lobo/Getty

Paula Lobo/Getty

Leading up her 60th birthday, French Gates launched a YouTube seriescalledMoments That Make Us,where she sat down to ask several women she admires, includingMichelle Obama,Oprah Winfrey,Gayle KingandBillie Jean King, “about their biggest life transitions.”

During her conversation with Winfrey, 70, and King, 69, she revealed, “I wouldn’t have gotten through my divorce if it wasn’t for my three closest friends.” Adding, “I couldn’t do that for my soul, and for so many other women that I’ve met who are in painful situations and can’t get out, who aren’t sure they should get out.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Since her divorce fromBill Gates, French Gates hasstepped away from the Gates Foundationandpledged to donate $1 billion to support women’s rights in the United States. She announced she wasleaving the foundation she co-founded more than two decades agoin May, and her last day at the organization was on June 7.

“This is not a decision I came to lightly,” she said. “I am immensely proud of the foundation thatBilland I built together and of the extraordinary work it is doing to address inequities around the world.”

Melinda Gates on June 23, 2023 in Paris, France.Christian Liewig/Corbis/Getty

Christian Liewig/Corbis/Getty

Days before she left the foundation, she revealed she will spend the money on “people and organizations working on behalf of women and families around the world, including on reproductive rights in the United States,” over the next two years.

At the time, PEOPLE confirmed French Gates had delivered funding to various groups that work to protect and strengthen women’s rights, including theNational Women’s Law Center, theNational Domestic Workers Allianceand theCenter for Reproductive Rights.

Additionally, a portion of the $1 billion commitment will also be awarded through an “open call,” which will launch in the fall.

source: people.com