On Bill Gates-Paula Hurd engagement rumours, what Microsoft billionaire's rep said

Bill Gates with Paula Hurd at the WTA semifinals in 2022

Bill Gates is not engaged to girlfriend Paula Hurd, the Microsoft co-founder’s representative told People magazine amid rumours after she was seen wearing a ring while out in New York City with Gates.

“Our office can confirm that the ring Mrs. Hurd was seen wearing has belonged to her for decades,” the spokesperson said.

The news of Gates and Paula Hurd, the widow of former Oracle CEO Mark Hurd, dating emerged in February this year.

Bill Gates, 67, and Hurd, 60, were photographed together at the Australian Open in January. Both of them are tennis fans who were also pictured sitting together at the WTA semifinal match of the Indian Wells tennis tournament in March 2022.

The couple has reportedly been dating for a year but has managed to keep their relationship largely away from the public eye – although Hurd accompanied Gates to Sydney in January where the Gates met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Bill Gates and Melinda French made the announcement of their divorce on Twitter in May 2021. The divorce is among the most high-profile separations in recent times. French is reportedly dating former television reporter Jon Du Pre.

In May this year, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez got engaged, following which they made a grand entrance in Cannes, south of France, on the billionaire’s mega yacht. Bezos and Sanchez have reportedly been dating since 2018, but only went public with their relationship once the his divorce from his first wife MacKenzie Scott was finalised in 2019.