Bill Gates confirms relationship with Paula Hurd, says they are ‘having fun’

Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has publicly acknowledged his relationship with Paula Hurd, referring to her as his "serious girlfriend" and sharing that they are "having fun" together. In a recent interview on TODAY, the 69-year-old spoke about his personal life, marking a rare public statement since his divorce from Melinda French Gates in 2021.

"I'm lucky to have a serious girlfriend named Paula," Gates said. "So we're having fun, going to the Olympics and lots of great things."

Gates and Hurd have been spotted together at various public events since 2022, though they kept their relationship private until the following year. Since confirming their romance, the couple has made multiple appearances, including at the 2024 Olympics.

Paula Hurd, the widow of former Oracle CEO Mark Hurd, has been deeply involved in philanthropy for over two decades, with a focus on education and healthcare initiatives. She was married to Mark Hurd until his passing in 2019, and the couple had two daughters.

Hurd was also mentioned in Gates' newly released memoir, Source Code, which was published yesterday. In the acknowledgments, Gates credited her as one of the early readers of his manuscript.

Discussing Source Code on TODAY, Gates reflected on his journey, saying, "This year, I turn 70, Microsoft turns 50, and so I thought, OK, I should share what luck I had to have amazing parents, you know, the way they let me go out and hike and try new things. I was just unbelievably lucky, and, you know, that's why Microsoft ended up being so successful."

The memoir explores Gates' early life, his childhood, and the initial years of his career, covering events leading up to the late 1970s—a few years after he co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975.