Jennifer Gates, the eldest daughter of Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, has opened up about her relationship with American-Egyptian showjumper Nayel Nassar in an interview with Sidelines magazine.
The pair got engaged back in January, during a romantic ski trip.
The Stanford graduate, 23, announced the engagement on Instagram, writing: “Nayel Nassar, you are one of a kind. Absolutely swept me off my feet this past weekend, surprising me in the most meaningful location over one of our many shared passions. I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives learning, growing, laughing and loving together. Yes a million times over.”
Both attended Stanford University, but at different times. They met through a shared love of horses and were friends for a “very long time” before they started dating.
“Everything happened organically,” Gates, a trainee doctor, told the equestrian-focused publication in the interview. “We had discussed spending a future together, which I think is very important, but I was surprised – happily surprised – by the proposal.”
She said it was a moment she will cherish forever.
Now, she can’t wait until the pair tie the knot, although she’s still learning to straddle the worlds of horse riding and medicine in the meantime.
She went on to say she wouldn’t be able to do any of it without her support system, which includes Nassar.
“Nayel always reminds me to believe in myself, which is so important,” she said. “I’m so lucky to have him as a partner. He’s incredibly supportive, humble and loyal, and someone that I look forward to building a life with.”
Nassar, 29, was born in Chicago, but grew up in Kuwait, where members of his family still live. In 2009, he moved back to California, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in economics.
Instead of entering the world of finance, however, he carved out a successful career in showjumping.
He is ranked 35th in the world, and qualified to represent Egypt in the sport at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which will now take place in 2021, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
When they got engaged, Nassar also posted an announcement on his own Instagram account, saying: “I’m feeling like the luckiest (and happiest) man in the world right about now.
“Jenn, you are everything I could have possibly imagined ... and so much more. I can’t wait to keep growing together through this journey called life, and I simply can’t imagine mine without you any more. Love you more than you can possibly imagine, and thank you for making every single day feel like a dream to me. Here’s to forever!”
