The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, is said to have held a private meeting at Windsor Castle with philanthropist Melinda French Gates, the former wife of Bill Gates. The meeting follows Gates’ testimony, released on June 23, to U.S. lawmakers about his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, which lasted from 2011 to 2014.
Kate Middleton met Melinda French Gates for a private philanthropic discussion
According to The Daily Express, Bill Gates has long maintained ties with the Royal Family and has attended several royal engagements over the years. However, his association with Epstein reportedly put those ties under pressure. The Microsoft co-founder joins a list of prominent figures, including Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Howard Lutnick, who have been questioned by the bipartisan committee. However, the 70-year-old has denied any wrongdoing and stated he was not aware of Epstein’s illegal conduct, reports the BBC.
On the other hand, his ex-wife, Melinda, who split from him in May 2021 after 27 years together, cited a lack of honesty among the reasons for their divorce, has remained closely connected to the Royal Family.
Kensington Palace shared, as stated by People, “The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron, the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this morning received Ms. Melinda French Gates (Founder, Pivotal) at Windsor Castle.” As per the Daily Mail, Melinda reportedly met Kate in her capacity as founder of Pivotal, the organisation she founded to support women and girls. Although the specifics of the conversation have not been revealed, but it reportedly focused on charitable work and advancing women’s causes.
However, this is not their first private meeting; they have met on previous occasions, including one hosted by Kate at Windsor Castle last year, reports Hello!. In 2024, Melinda stepped away from the Gates Foundation, which she co-founded with Bill Gates, to pursue her own philanthropic efforts. Bloomberg estimates her net worth at $19.2 billion.
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Originally reported by Meenakshi Sengupta for Reality Tea
