Bill Gates is not engaged to girlfriend Paula Hurd despite persistent rumours, his rep has confirmed.
Speculation had been swirling that the Microsoft billionaire had gotten down on one knee after Hurd was spotted in New York City donning a flashy ring.
A rep for Gates, 67, has now confirmed that the ring Hurd was seen wearing has been in her possession for quite some time and was not given to her by Gates.
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“Our office can confirm that the ring Mrs. Hurd was seen wearing has belonged to her for decades,” the spokesperson says.
Gates was formerly married to his wife of 27 years, Melinda French Gates. The couple went their separate ways in May 2021.
Since then, Gates had been spotted with Hurd on a number of occasions but it was not until February of this year that the pair confirmed their relationship.
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At the time, the insider said the pair’s relationship was “widely known.”
Hurd was previously married to Mark Hurd, the CEO of a software company Oracle. Mark Hurd was also the boss of Hewlett-Packard at one point in his career. The pair were married for 30 years until his death in October 2019.
After Gates’ divorce from French Gates was finalised in August 2021, the Microsoft co-founder told the BBC that he would be looking to find love again.
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“Sure, I’m not a robot,” he said.
Similarly, in an interview with CBS Mornings in March 2022, French Gates said her relationship with her ex-husband has remained “friendly” amid the divorce.
“I think we have a productive working relationship, and I think that will continue,” she added.
Gates and French Gates share three children together: Jennifer, 27, Rory, 23, and daughter Phoebe, 20.
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