Meet Bill and Melinda Gates’ Gen Z daughter Phoebe, a Stanford graduate, activist, and fashion entrepreneur

As of September 2024, Phoebe Gates has 474,000 followers on Instagram and 243,300 followers on TikTok.

A day after posting a video of her sharing bubble tea with her dad in October 2023, she gained over 59,000 TikTok followers, according to analytics website Social Blade.

“Father-daughter bubble tea time,” read a caption under the TikTok post.

In the clip, which has received 16.9 million views on TikTok and uses “As It Was” by Harry Styles as a backing track, Phoebe sits opposite her billionaire father as they both poke straws into cups of bubble tea and smile at one another overlooking a Manhattan skyline.

Bill Gates has made appearances on other creators’ TikTok accounts in the past, often participating in math or art challenges, although he does not have an account himself.

Phoebe Gates has also shared moments with her mom, most recently posting a birthday tribute on Instagram in August. Beneath a carousel of recent and childhood photos, she wrote, “Mom, you taught me first and most about love. You inspire me forever, and always, and now the whole world. Happiest birthday to you.”

On TikTok, Gates has previously posted about attending fashion week in Copenhagen and New York. She has also shared informational clips about sustainable fashion and promoted buying secondhand clothes.

In August 2023, Vogue reported that Gates is co-launching her own fashion platform, called Phia, with her fellow Stanford student and roommate Sophia Kianni (pictured above left).

That month, the duo landed a partnership with Stella McCartney and her namesake fashion house, designing a capsule collection of handbags in honor of the US Open’s 50th anniversary.

Gates told Vogue, “Stella has been able to build this empire while still holding onto her values. We reached out many times, and eventually, she really took us under her wing and has since been an advisor to us as we build out this platform.”

Kianni also added, “We want to identify everyone who is doing incredible things, learn from them, and see how we can accelerate progress together.”

As of September 2024, the company has upward of 43,000 followers on Instagram with the bio, “The smartest way to shop. Follow to find out.”

So far, Phia has shared moodboards, outfit inspiration carousels, and secondhand fashion finds.

Phoebe Gates was featured on the series’ second episode, “Truth or Consequences?” She spoke with her father about social media and misinformation.

She said she sees conspiracy theories about him online “all the time,” and shared, “I’ve even had friends cut me off because of these vaccine rumors.”

The pair also shared a funny generation-gap moment when the senior Gates asked, “And how many IDs do you typically have on a system?” His confused daughter replied, “How many what?” which led to Bill offering clarification so she could explain that yes, people often have multiple accounts on the same social media platforms, such as a public one and a “spam” for close friends.

Phoebe Gates went on to describe her social media strategy, saying that she understands people often come to her page because of her last name but likes to add information about reproductive health and justice in her posts.

“It’s a fine line between being personable but then also weaving in your real agenda. OK, here’s the numbers, here’s the science, here’s the facts,” she said.

The pair finished their conversation with an important reminder for the father of three: “Text me, don’t email me,” Phoebe Gates said. “No one uses email for personal communications.”

In her June 2024 graduation diary for Nylon, Gates shared photos of herself with her boyfriend, Arthur Donald. Alongside one of the images, she joked that he “cleans up nicely,” while in another, he carried her on his back.

Donald, 25, is the oldest of Paul McCartney’s eight grandchildren, People reported. He is the son of the Beatles’ star’s daughter, Mary, and her ex-husband, Alistair Donald.

He grew up in London and attended Yale University. He is an investor at the Collaborative Fund, a venture capital firm “for entrepreneurs pushing the world forward,” according to its website.

Gates and Donald were also pictured together at the premiere of “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans” held in New York City in January.