# Bill Gates' Prenuptual Agreement **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2000, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-gates-prenuptual-agreement/41511 "2000-11-16T20:46:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sh00z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sh00z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sh00z)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-gates-prenuptual-agreement/41511/1 "2000-11-16T20:46:30Z")
Two- or three-part question: 1. Is there any truth to the rumors about Bill and Melinda Gates’ prenup (that is, he is permitted to be unfaithful without having to split his fortune upon divorce)? 2. If it’s false, how did it get started? 3. If it’s true, how did the word get out? (And I guess, part 4–how little self-esteem does she have, anyway?) Thanx, Shoes ---
**Author:** ![jazzmine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jazzmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jazzmine)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-gates-prenuptual-agreement/41511/2 "2000-11-17T00:27:42Z")
According to this article, [CBS.com - Behind The Gates](http://www.wbz.com/now/story/0,1597,69630-364,00.shtml), there is no prenuptial agreement. Kinda renews your faith in love and marriage, eh? trisha ---
**Author:** ![tygre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@tygre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygre)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-gates-prenuptual-agreement/41511/3 "2000-11-17T02:11:08Z")
I read, maybe 1-2 years ago, in (I think) Ladies’ Home Journal that Bill takes a 2 week vacation with a “female friend” every year, minus the wife and kids, and that was part of their marriage agreement. It was part of a larger article on millionaire couples. They did name the friend, but I can’t remember who she was, only that she was an old friend of Bill’s. I guess Melissa Gates is willing to put up with a lot. –tygre ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-gates-prenuptual-agreement/41511/4 "2000-11-17T06:24:45Z")
It is very unlikely that BillG has an open marriage. I mean, he had to buy Melissa from a venture capitalist, just to get ONE woman to sleep with him. And it is even more unlikely that they’d have a prenup. BillG stated that “for all practical purposes, I have infinite wealth” (his exact words). What is half of infinity? Would a person with infinite wealth miss half his money? ---
**Author:** ![sh00z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sh00z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sh00z)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-gates-prenuptual-agreement/41511/5 "2000-11-17T14:58:10Z")
Thank you, Jazzmine! I will take the CBS interview as the definitive answer. As much as I despise the man’s business practices, it’s nice to see that he has some ethics when it comes to family. Now, the only thing I can criticize Mrs. Gates for is letting him out of the house in those sweaters! – Shoes ---
**Author:** ![jazzmine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jazzmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jazzmine)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-gates-prenuptual-agreement/41511/6 "2000-11-17T17:10:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sh00z \* > \*\*Now, the only thing I can criticize Mrs. Gates for is letting him out of the house in those sweaters! > \*\* and the hair. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-gates-prenuptual-agreement/41511/7 "2000-11-17T17:32:00Z")
The story I heard was that Bill told her he would never ask her to sign a prenuptial agreement. He then proceeded to have a friend ask her to sign one. I have no idea if it’s true. ---
**Author:** ![kbutcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/db5fbb/32.png) [@kbutcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kbutcher)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-gates-prenuptual-agreement/41511/8 "2000-11-17T17:35:56Z")
I read a book on recent MS history… don’t remember the title just now… but in the book it said that there was a prenup, and that a friend of bill’s was the one to approach her with it.