Who is Jennifer Gates? Ahead of her wedding, here are five things to know about Bill and Melinda’s eldest daughter.
Jennifer Gates, the eldest daughter of billionaire couple Bill and Melinda Gates, will soon exchange vows with fiancé Nayel Nassar, a professional equestrian. The two are set to wed at Jennifer’s sprawling horse farm in Westchester County in New York on Saturday, Oct. 16.
The Microsoft heiress, 25, announced the news of her engagement in January 2020, sharing a photo with Nayel, 30, in the snow on Instagram that featured her ring. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives learning, growing, laughing and loving together,” Jennifer wrote. “Yes a million times over.”
So, who is Jennifer? Below are five things to know about Bill and Melinda’s first born.
Jennifer is a Stanford University graduate
Jennifer attended Stanford University between 2014 and 2018, where she received her degree in human biology. She has credited her parents for sparking her passion for science and medicine, explaining in an introductory Instagram post that her parents’ “regular dinner time conversations about children’s health on a global scale” impacted her at a “young age,” which brings us to the next tidbit…
Jennifer is currently in medical school
Following her graduation from Stanford, Jennifer began medical school at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai in New York in 2019. She’s in her second year, and is set to graduate in 2023. “I am deeply interested in studying factors that impact children’s growth and development, most specifically adverse childhood experiences,” she wrote of her studies in her introductory IG post. “Long term, I also hope to contribute by giving people a clear understanding of their conditions and circumstances, so they feel supported by medicine and science.”
Bill and Melinda gifted Jennifer a $16 million estate as a graduation gift
Jennifer’s parents gifted her quite the present when she finished her studies at Stanford back in 2018: a $16 million horse farm in Westchester County in New York, as one does. The estate, which sits on 124 acres, will also serve as the venue of her wedding this weekend.
Jennifer is an accomplished equestrian
On top of science and medicine, Jennifer is also passionate about horses. The accomplished equestrian has been riding since the age of 6. Jennifer has also competed against other show jumpers born to celebrities, including Bruce Springsteen‘s daughter Jessica, Steve Jobs‘ daughter Eve, and Steven Spielberg‘s daughter Destry, according to Business Insider. “I always loved horses,” she told CNN Sports in 2019. “I convinced my parents to let me start taking lessons at a local barn, and things progressed from there,” she said. “I never knew that I would be competing at this level today. I always thought it would just be a childhood hobby, but I’m so grateful that it still has a place in my life.”
Jennifer owns an international show jumping stable
The equestrian is the founder of Evergate Stables, an international show jumping stable located in Wellington, Florida. Jennifer’s fiancé and Dutch show jumper Harrie Smolders are among the riders. Of course, Jennifer, too, has competed at the stable. During her riding career, she has won medals at the 2016 North American Junior/Young Rider Championships and the 2017 USEF U25 Series Championship, among others. Jennifer’s rider bio notes that “while she plans to pursue a career in medicine, horses will always be a part of her life.”