Phoebe Gates, the youngest daughter of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, has ended her two-year relationship with Arthur Donald, the grandson of Beatles legend Paul McCartney. She revealed the breakup and her new romance on the latest episode of her podcast ‘The Burnouts,’ describing her new partner as someone not on social media, which she finds refreshing and novel.
The disclosure was made during the podcast co-hosted with Sophia Kianni, where Phoebe shared that she is already dating someone new. She expressed excitement about this new relationship, noting that he “literally doesn’t have Instagram” and how this is a completely new experience for her, as she’s never been with someone like that before. Her candid remarks provided a glimpse into her personal life, which she often keeps private.
Phoebe and Arthur were first linked in October 2023 when she posted a photo of them together in Paris on Instagram with the caption “Paris on film.” She confirmed their relationship status in the summer of 2024 after graduating from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science in human biology, referring to him as her boyfriend in a graduation photo diary for Nylon magazine.
The couple met through a professional connection when Phoebe collaborated with Arthur’s aunt, renowned fashion designer Stella McCartney. Arthur Donald, who is the eldest son of Mary McCartney and TV producer Alistair Donald, resides in California but made frequent trips to New York City to visit Phoebe on weekends during their relationship, as reported by The New York Times.
In the podcast, Phoebe elaborated on how she bonds with her new boyfriend by showing him videos she produces for her AI-powered shopping tool, Phia. She humorously recounted telling him to sit down and watch the videos because she invests significant effort into them, and he complies good-naturedly, highlighting their shared moments.
Prior to dating Arthur, Phoebe was in a relationship with Robert Ross, another Stanford alum. Arthur, on the other hand, has been previously linked to Ava Phillippe, the daughter of actors Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, adding context to their dating histories.
The split marks the end of a relationship that often captured media attention due to their prominent families. Despite the breakup, there have been no public statements from either party’s representatives; Phoebe’s rep did not respond to requests for comment, and Arthur could not be reached, as confirmed by sources.
As Phoebe moves on with her new relationship, she continues to focus on her entrepreneurial ventures with Phia, demonstrating resilience and a forward-looking attitude amidst the personal changes.