Amid Engagement Rumors, Melinda Gates and Fox News Alum Jon Du Pre Break Up

Melinda Gates is a single woman again. The philanthropist’s rep told PEOPLE Magazine in an exclusive statement, “Melinda is not engaged and is no longer dating Jon Du Pre.” The two were first confirmed to be dating in November 2022. They’d been seen out previously at a basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Boston Celtics earlier in the year.

She was recently seen rocking a massive ring on her engagement finger. It was her first public romance since she split with Bill Gates. After 27 years of marriage, the Gates’ divorce was finalized in August 2021 three months after they announced their separation. 

“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives,” they wrote in a joint statement on social media. “We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life,” they added. 

The former couple share three children together — daughters Jennifer, 27, and Phoebe, 21, and son Rory, 23. Melinda received a large settlement in their divorce and is reportedly worth over $11 billion. Much of her wealth has been donated to a variety of charitable causes over the years. Alongside Bill, they founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000. It is reported to be the second-largest charitable foundation in the world and was initially launched to address homelessness.