What to Know About Phoebe Gates and Arthur Donald, the Latest Nepo Baby Couple
Bill Gates' daughter launched her relationship with Paul McCartney's grandson at Stanford graduation. Here's a closer look at the match made in nepo baby heaven.
Phoebe Gates and Arthur Donald recently hard launched their relationship at Stanford graduation, but rumors have been circulating about the pair ever since Gates hinted at a relationship with a warm Instagram post captioned “Paris on Film.” The grainy image depicted Gates resting her head ever-so-slightly on Donald's shoulder as the two posed for the camera. Still, nothing was certain until June 26, when Gates confirmed their romantic involvement in a graduation diary with Nylon. Providing the caption for a photo where she enjoys a carefree piggy-back ride from Donald, Gates says, “My boyfriend, Arthur, giving me a lift post-ceremony.”
While the two may seem like your average young couple, their families' incredible legacies precede them. Without further ado, here’s what you need to know about this emerging young power couple:
Arthur Donald is the eldest son of Mary McCartney, Paul McCartney’s eldest daughter, and Mary’s ex-husband Alistair Donald. He's 25 years old and went to University College School in London before attending Yale University in the United States, where he graduated in 2021. Since then, the history major has had an internship at Lucasfilms, the legendary production studio of Star Wars, and worked in analysis roles at Goldman Sachs and Beehouse.
With practically no social media presence, Donald has left the public side of things up to Gates, but that doesn’t mean he has always been out of the public eye. In 2018, he was rumored to be in a relationship with Ava Phillippe, the daughter of actors Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe. The two were photographed together while celebrating family projects in London.
Phoebe Gates is a much more public figure. She is the daughter of Bill Gates and his ex-wife Melinda French Gates, with strong passions for ballet and fashion. The 21-year-old graduated on June 26th with a degree in human biology that she managed to complete in just three years at Stanford. Her reasoning for such quick progress? “I wanted to watch my mother deliver this year’s commencement speech as a graduate,” she tells NYLON. “I can’t think of a better ending!”
Gates is currently working on a project titled Phia with close friend Sophia Kianni, a social entrepreneur and climate activist. The project aims to be a pioneering force in the pursuit of responsible fashion. Last year, they announced a collaboration with Stella McCartney, drawing yet another connection between Gates and Donald. Phia has even been teased as “the future of fashion” on Instagram. For now, only one thing’s for sure: Gates and Donald are fashioning a future together.
