Melinda French Gates’ Daughters Celebrate Her 61st Birthday

Melinda French Gates is feeling the birthday love.

The billionaire philanthropist turned 61 on Friday, Aug. 15 — and her daughters Jennifer and Phoebe celebrated with a pair of sweet social media tributes.

Jennifer, the eldest of French Gates’ three children with ex-husband Bill Gates, posted a pair of photos that showed her mom spending time with her grandkids, Leila, 2, and Mia, 9 months. 

“HBD to the most amazing mom and best Nonna our girls could ever have,” the 29-year-old pediatric resident wrote alongside one snap.

Alongside another the mom of two added, “We’re so lucky to call you ours.”

Meanwhile, Phoebe reflected on a more glamorous occasion, sharing a photo of the mother-daughter duo attending the Albie Awards last year. “Love dressing up life together,” wrote the 22-year-old Phia co-founder.

She also shared a sketch of the pair together in their Versace dresses, writing “you make it shimmer.”

French Gates’ big day came just over a week after she launched the second season of her YouTube series, “Moments That Make Us,” where she sits down with inspiring women to talk about some of their biggest life transitions. 

“I’m so pleased, honestly, with how they came out,” she told PEOPLE in an exclusive sit-down.

One of those new interviews even led to a total “pinch me” moment.

“The person that I interviewed this time that I had never met before was Jamie Lee Curtis. I mean, obviously I followed her work, but you never know how you’re going to connect with somebody,” French Gates said.

Another standout moment came when she reflected on how Serena Williams helped give her the confidence to embrace her body.

French Gates recalled attending an event alongside Williams that included costumes. The mom of three remembered thinking that “nothing on that rack was going to fit me in the hips.”

Not only did Williams say that she was in the same boat, but she recalled praising French Gates’ figure that night.

“I was staring at your body the whole two days. And finally I got enough nerve, I couldn’t hold it in anymore, I’m like ‘Sis, where you get that from?’ ” Williams said, to which French Gates replied, “You made me feel much better.”

Earlier this year, French Gates also opened up to PEOPLE about her new bookThe Next Day, reflecting on some of lessons she’s learned from her life’s biggest changes, which included the journey of raising three kids, the death of a beloved friend, the start of a new chapter while spending billions to support women and girls everywhere and a divorce.

Although the end of her marriage remains painful to talk about, she told PEOPLE in a cover story, “It was important for me to be real.”

“Hopefully,” she added, “it might be helpful to someone else.” 

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At the time, she even gave an update on her love life, confirming that she is a relationship.

“I’m quite happy,” she told PEOPLE.

Although she didn’t go into specifics — “I’m just going to leave it there,” she said — her comments came  about five months after she was photographed holding hands with tech entrepreneur Philip Vaughn, 48, in New York City. 

The pair were last photographed ahead of the start of her book tour.