Meet Rory Gates, Bill Gates's only son who caught eyes during rare appearance

Microsoft founder Bill Gates's only son Rory, whom he shares with ex-wife Melinda French Gates, attended the White House State dinner earlier this week with his mum.

Melinda, 59, attended the event honouring Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto and his wife, Rachel Ruto, arm in arm with Rory, marking his 25th birthday, People reported.

So let's learn more about the young man who might become Microsoft CEO one day.

Who is Rory Gates?

Melinda has previously described her son as "compassionate and curious".

He leads a reserved life with private social media accounts, a love for puzzles and a close relationship with his mother, according to the South China Morning Post.

He was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew up in a massive $150 million mansion dubbed Xanadu 2.0, with his two sisters, Jennifer, three years older than him, and Phoebe, three years younger.

Rory attended the elite Lakeside School in Seattle, like his dad, and then pursued a bachelor’s degree in computer software engineering and economics at Duke University, like his mother.

He then got his MBA degree from Fuqua School of Business.

Melinda has previously spoken about raising Rory as a feminist, saying he doesn’t shy away from discussing gender equality.

Rory graduated the University of Chicago in 2022, achieving "a double major and a master's" in just four years.