Phoebe Gates is stepping into the spotlight with her new romance — and sources say the connection has deep roots.
Over the weekend, the youngest child of Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates offered a rare peek into her personal life, sharing a dressed-up photo with boyfriend Chaz Flynn on Instagram. She kept the caption simple: a single red heart emoji. In another post, the couple posed alongside her older sister Jennifer Gates and Jennifer’s husband, Nayel Nassar, during a recent special occasion.
The relationship isn’t as new as it may seem. Phoebe and Flynn have reportedly known each other since they were around 15, first crossing paths in Seattle and dating as teenagers while in high school.
Phoebe previously spoke about Flynn in September on an episode of her podcast with Sophia Kianni, The Burnouts, noting that his low profile online has been a refreshing change.
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“It’s the best thing ever,” she said at the time.
“And this is completely new for me. I’ve never been with someone like this,” she added.
Phoebe was previously linked to Arthur Donald, one of Paul McCartney’s grandchildren. The two dated for roughly two years and largely kept their relationship private. Dating speculation began in October 2023, and she publicly confirmed the romance in June 2024 through a photo diary with Nylon, shared after she graduated early from Stanford University with a bachelor’s of science degree in human biology.
These days, Phoebe is balancing a packed schedule: running her company, co-hosting her podcast, and continuing her philanthropic and advocacy work.
In a recent interview with The Financial Times, Phoebe — a vocal supporter of reproductive rights — said “being a CEO takes up 99% of my time, six days a week.”
Still, she’s clear about what drives her.
“The throughline for my work,” she said, “is democratizing access — to sustainable shopping options, to accurate information and, most importantly, to healthcare.”
“I have a platform because there is interest in my family,” she added. “I can use that to uplift and amplify the organisations that I work with and share the wealth of information that I have access to.”
